《The Gentleman at the End》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Rule Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Rule Between the seas like ink, numerous ships drifted. Single-person canoes, multi-person ferries, and occasionally large ships carrying hundreds of people could be seen, yet regardless of the vessel, everyone aboard was in a state of bewilderment, their memories slowly being stripped away by the sea; no one knew where they would end up, and no one realized they were already dead. However, a lighthouse, half-shrouded in fog, emerged in the sea that should lead to the realm of death. Its light from the apex happened to fall upon a wooden boat, the shining beam pulling it, toward the lighthouse with the young man on board. As the light grew more intense, the pitch-black pupils embedded in the youth¡¯s face slowly began to fade, growing more expressive. Feeling the burn from the light, when the boat drew close enough, a searing pattern pierced through his head. It carried a voice that seemed to call from the world of the living. Buzz! No longer was there an inky sea before his eyes, but rather an old wooden desk lined with wrinkles, and as the youth¡¯s eyes gradually opened, his pupils fixed on an old-fashioned kerosene lamp in the top right corner of the desk, its flame coinciding with the lighthouse beacon in his mind. Besides, underneath his arms, which propped up his head, he could feel the rough texture of paper, corresponding to a yellowed sheet with scribbled handwriting. To the left of the desk was a glass of water with a strange-smelling transparent liquid remaining inside. Faced with such an unfamiliar scene, the first thought that came unbidden to the youth was neither fear nor curiosity¡­ but an incredibly crucial realization: ¡°My thesis!¡± The last memory in his mind was of revising his graduation thesis all night in the lab. At the same time, this last memory also came with intense heart pain and blurry consciousness, and thinking of this, the youth realized the problem at hand. ¡°Did I die suddenly?¡± He examined his own hands. The yellowed palms were covered in numerous signs of wear, with many calluses on his fingers and nails clogged with something resembling dirt, he recognized at a glance that these were not the hands of the long-time bachelor he had been. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve transcended?¡± The youth was named Yi Chen, a miserable graduate student majoring in chemical engineering. He enjoyed reading various genres of novels and playing games, and the first term that came to his mind was ¡°transcend.¡± Upon reaching this conclusion, there was no anxiety, no panic. instead, a look of utter relief appeared on his face, and his entire body relaxed¡­ because not having to write a thesis, not having to worry about reviews and subsequent defenses felt incredibly liberating. Having come from the orphanage, he had lived twenty-four years of solitary life and didn¡¯t have much attachment to the original world. However, this relaxation did not last long, as the rotten smell in the air tensed his nerves again. ¡°I need to figure out what¡¯s going on quickly¡­¡± Yi Chen shook his head and stood up to look around the wooden hut that was no more than forty square meters. To the left of the desk, there was a single wooden bed pushed against the wall. The foot of the bed showed noticeable mildew marks, largely due to the humidity in the hut. Besides, there were no windows in the whole hut. The only connection to the outside was a thick gray iron door which was tightly sealed in the frame. Old gray paint and a rough, bumpy texture were apparent, probably painted some forty or fifty years ago. The key to the iron door hung on Yi Chen¡¯s waist belt. Next to the door, on the wall, was an old-fashioned landline telephone. In Yi Chen¡¯s memory, this type of telephone was only seen in the orphanage during his childhood¡­ later utterly phased out as smartphones became prevalent. The rubber-coated telephone wire extended upwards, drilling out of the roof to connect to the outside world. Another point worth mentioning is, there was no light source in the entire hut, the only illuminating device being the portable kerosene lamp on the desk. Such a simple, sealed design of the hut, combined with the smell of decay in the air, led Yi Chen to think of something unlucky¡ªa ¡°coffin.¡± It was as if he were sealed inside a coffin made to look like a wooden hut. Returning to the desk, without a phone or a mirror to inspect his own looks, he vaguely touched his face, noting that apart from the unclean stubble, the overall feel of his features was quite nice, seemingly better-looking than his former self. Judging from the skin, he figured he must be no more than thirty years old. Next was the search for detailed information. His gaze returned to the initial wooden table, staring at the [letter] left on top. ¡°English? Is this a foreign country?¡± Yi Chen brought out his academic reading skills, used for perusing papers, and quickly scanned the contents, The first sentence of the first line was written with an unsettling word¡ª[die]. As he delved deeper into the letter, the words on it seemed like maggots crawling into his body, making him feel uneasy all over. ¡ÚI¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m certain of it. But at least, I still have the right to choose the way I die. When I really think about it, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything in this world worth clinging to. The only person I feel sorry for is Director Fran. I messed up the first job I took after leaving the orphanage. I¡¯m always like this, careless. I made mistakes in the orphanage just the same. Rule three in the Handbook¡­ Even though I reviewed it every day, I still made a mistake. There¡¯s nothing more to say, I only hope that the person who sees this letter can forgive my cowardice and incompetence. I simply can¡¯t face the [consequences] of my mistake. If possible, please burn my body. Do not bury me here!¡Û ¡°A suicide note?¡± Yi Chen grabbed the water cup at the corner of the table, smelling the residue of the liquid inside. He could now fully ascertain the basic situation of the body¡¯s original owner. ¡°Did this guy spend his childhood in an orphanage too? Because of similar experiences, similar looks and build, and the overlap of death, did I just happen to transcend into his body? Knowing that he would die, he chose to poison himself? Just because he didn¡¯t follow a certain rule, he had to pay with his life? What kind of hellish place is this?¡± His in-depth analysis alerted Yi Chen to an air of unease and crisis that permeated the space, while also pondering his own ¡®predicament¡¯. ¡°Since I¡¯ve transcended here, I naturally have to deal with this [mess]¡­ This guy could¡¯ve at least written something useful in his suicide note. After making a mistake, what kind of danger will I face? Will an assassin from some organization come to clean me up? Or will some strange thing come knocking?¡± With these thoughts, Yi Chen once again looked around the room. Even if the entire cabin was sealed up tight like a coffin, there was still not a hint of safety to be felt. ¡°Calm down~ I¡¯ve already died once, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. First, let¡¯s see if I can find the [Handbook] mentioned in the suicide note to see what exactly this guy did wrong, and what his job was.¡± He opened the drawer of the wooden table, inside lay a map made of parchment and a special Handbook bound with black fur. According to the map, this place was a [graveyard]. The cabin was situated right in the middle, with gravesites numbered 1-6 arranged clockwise around it, and in a corner of the map, a strange No. 7 gravesite was set apart, accessible only by traversing a path hundreds of meters long. ¡°This place is a graveyard? Was this guy¡¯s identity a Tomb Guardian? No wonder even the cabin has a subtle rotten smell.¡± Yi Chen then picked up the Handbook that contained important information. [Employee Handbook (Easton Town Graveyard)] The first page detailed the work schedule. The Tomb Guardian has to inspect the numbered gravesites at specific times, for example: Gravesite No. 1 inspection time is from 7:00 to 9:30. Gravesite No. 2 inspection time is from 1:00 to 3:00. And so on Furthermore, No. 7 gravesite had no inspection times and did not require inspections; it was a special area. The schedule was barely normal. When Yi Chen turned to the second page of the Handbook, his expression immediately grew somber. The very first thing was a set of brightly colored, red characters marked with asterisks, *Please read the following rules for each gravesite carefully and memorize them. Failing to adhere to any of these or making mistakes will invite disaster, and you will pay a price that goes beyond death.* I. [Strictly follow the schedule when inspecting the gravesites, with the start and end times being less than one minute off.] II. [When inspecting Gravesite No. 2, ensure that the cross headstones are not inverted, or adorned with objects resembling goat skulls. If such issues arise, you must restore the headstones and clear the debris within the inspection time frame.] III. [During the inspection of Gravesite No. 4, ensure that the number and order of headstones remain unchanged. If anomalies in number or order occur, you must remove the surplus graves or reorder any headstones that have been misplaced or inverted during the inspection period.] *For convenience, the appendices of the Handbook contain a thumbnail of the Gravesite No. 4 layout. IV. [Before starting the inspection of Gravesite No. 5, be absolutely sure there are no sounds coming from inside. If any strange noises are heard, delay the inspection for one hour. If the noises persist after an hour, report the information to the Manager.] V. [If a new body is found at the entrance of the graveyard, inspect the hearse carefully, ensuring that it bears the correct ¡®Organizational Mark¡¯ on its underside. If the mark is correct, transport the body to the entrance of the corresponding gravesite based on the numeric cuts on the body¡¯s surface, the body will be interred on its own. If no mark is found, or if the mark is incorrect, please take the hearse and the body on it to Grave No. 7 during daylight hours.] *Details of the Organizational Mark can be found in the appendices. VI. [Other gravesites only require basic inspections to ensure that the graves are not damaged or infiltrated by foreign entities.] VII. [Outside of the inspection times, stay in the Safe House as much as possible to reduce the chances of accidents occurring.] VIII. [If an error occurs in your work, resulting in a disastrous event, the Organization is willing to give you a chance for survival. Pry open the floor under the bed, retrieve the Self-defense tool, and deal with and resolve the problem.] Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Cemetery Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Cemetery Yi Chen, having read through the various ¡°Rules¡±, could roughly confirm that the place he had transcended to was mixed with ¡®strange¡¯ factors not present in his original world, At the same time, unknown crises were constantly approaching. But he still had a glimmer of hope, Following the hint from the last rule, Yi Chen bent down to look under the wooden bed. He pushed aside the movable floor¡¯s hidden compartment, grabbing a hand axe of a suitable weight from the recess. ¡°Is this what¡¯s referred to as a self-defense tool?¡± The hickory handle of the axe, with its surface etched for added grip, was lightweight, sturdy, and not easily dropped, The carbon steel-forged axe head was flawless, Sharpened through a special process, exceedingly sharp, and with the axe blade plated in silver, Bright, hard, and incredibly destructive, Hum~ When he tried swinging it, it produced a faint whistling sound in the air. Such a well-crafted hand axe brought a vague sense of safety, slightly relaxing his tense state of mind. ¡°Not a bad weapon for self-defense¡­¡± After a simple warm-up, he returned to the desk. ¡°According to the records in the will, the root cause of this guy¡¯s mistake was Rule [Number Three],¡± ¡°That is, he failed to notice the changes in the number and order of the gravestones while patrolling Graveyard Number Four.¡± Yi Chen bit his fingernails, Now he was faced with an important decision, Was it better to stay in the wooden hut waiting for danger to come knocking, or to head to the graveyard alone, facing the danger head-on to break the predicament? ¡°I should be proactive¡­ According to the records in the rules, perhaps only by restoring Graveyard Number Four can the crisis be completely eradicated. Simply staying put in the hut is likely tantamount to waiting for death.¡± Yi Chen tried to view the situation in front of him as a test after his transcendence. However, there was a series of preparations to be made before setting off. Firstly, using his still clever brain, he deeply memorized the graveyard map, as well as the annex¡¯s detailed plans for Graveyard Number Four, and the organization¡¯s markings, etc. In addition, he put on the work clothes folded at the foot of the bed, It was a dark gray overcoat, somewhere between a raincoat and a trench coat, with a loose hood that could cover half of the face, hiding one¡¯s visage in the darkness. ¡°This coat fits too perfectly¡­ I¡¯ve never worn such a comfortable jacket before. Was it made to measure?¡± Far from restricting movement, the coat allowed his body to move even more fluidly. He also discovered a metal badge on the left chest, bearing the name of the body¡¯s original owner ¨C [William Behrens]. All set, Just before stepping through the iron door, he tried using the telephone on the wall beside the door. However, there was nothing but a harsh buzz inside the receiver; it seemed the telephone line had been damaged, cutting off outside contact. ¡°Most likely due to a breach of the rules, the ¡®Manager¡¯ above has severed the connection to this place¡­ Time to leave.¡± Click~ Click As the door hinges turned, it was as if an elderly person issued a series of warnings from his hoarse throat. Yi Chen stood at the doorway, wary of any danger that might arise, Seconds ticked away, and all that arrived was the nauseating smell of rotting flesh mixed with soil, The moon tonight was completely obscured, with the only source of light being the kerosene lamp in his hand. ¡°It seems that [danger] hasn¡¯t actively sought me out yet, which is good¡­ Let¡¯s start exploring.¡± With the silver-sparkling axe held in his right hand, hanging by his thigh, and the kerosene lamp horizontally lifted in front of his chest by his left hand, Yi Chen, dressed in the dark gray coat, had fully assumed the role of the ¡®Tomb Guardian,¡¯ initiating his first exploration of the graveyard. Firstly, just as the map depicted, the wooden hut known as the ¡°Safe House¡± was located at the center of the graveyard, with Graveyards Number One through Six encircling it, Separated by a lofty three-meter-high openwork iron fence that kept each numbered graveyard apart without interference. The narrow paths between graves, at most wide enough for a hearse to pass through, where the wildly grown twisted branches met overhead, shrouding the night sky, enveloping the entire graveyard¡­ If the earlier hut was like a small coffin, then this graveyard was the larger coffin. Yi Chen felt his heart panic under the oppression of such an environment, even imagining that a pale foot was following right behind him, and the various branches transformed into arms that wanted to touch his shoulder. Whoo¡­ He took a deep breath. As a child, he had heard from people at the orphanage that one must never look back when passing through eerie places at night, or it might lead to unclean things latching onto oneself. Therefore, his gaze remained fixed straight ahead, occasionally turning his head at most 45 degrees. Following the map memorized in his memory, he quickly arrived at the iron gate of graveyard number 4. However, a thought suddenly popped into his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been moving through the cemeteries for several minutes¡­ Although creepy and oppressive, at least I haven¡¯t encountered any danger, nor have I seen any dirty things. The danger within graveyard number 4 that could drive a person to suicide is certainly not something that can be easily dealt with. Perhaps I need to run away, to fight a guerrilla warfare. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to first walk through the entire cemetery, to become familiar with the area, and to suss out escape and hiding routes¡ªyes! That¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡± He temporarily left from the front of graveyard number 4, Yi Chen began to tour the whole cemetery in a clockwise direction, and as time flowed, he gradually became accustomed to the atmosphere in the cemeteries, and also discovered interesting details and settings that existed between the burial grounds. The numbered cemeteries were different in nature. For example, all of the tombstones in graveyard number 1 were uniformly made of stone arches, with clean steps and stone pathways, giving a tidy and comfortable feeling. The neighboring graveyard number 2 adopted oak cross-shaped tombstones, lopsided and overgrown with weeds¡­ the whole area was extremely gloomy, with temperatures differing by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. He encountered no dangers smoothly along the way, and in order of their sequence, he arrived at the last, graveyard number 6. The soil here was unusually moist, every step felt like stepping into a quagmire, with the soles sinking at least two centimeters. All the tombstones here were piled up with stones and did not record any information about the deceased¡¯s life. ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s that?¡± His keen powers of observation led Yi Chen to notice a detail, in a corner of graveyard number 6, a stone-built tombstone lay scattered on the ground, as if it had been destroyed by something. Carrying his axe, he approached to check, walking around the grave mound twice and found nothing unusual, perhaps fully immersed in his current profession, or perhaps out of respect for the dead, once he confirmed there were no dangers, Yi Chen crouched down and painstakingly restored the scattered stones, rebuilding the tombstone. Before leaving, he unconsciously brought his palms together and bowed slightly. However, he had not taken two steps before a strange voice came from behind. ¡ìThank You¡ì The voice was odd, as if a mix of several people¡¯s voices, with fluctuating pitches that penetrated deeply. Yi Chen immediately turned towards where the sound had come from, all the while holding the axe in front of him. However, the cemetery behind him was all quiet, without any change. ¡°Am I just too tense that I¡¯m hearing things? No¡­ I definitely heard it. There indeed is something supernatural here¡ªonly, the voice of thanks just now didn¡¯t seem to carry any malice. Better not to stir up trouble and focus on resolving the most crucial problem at hand.¡± Yi Chen quickly exited the muddy graveyard number 6. By now, apart from graveyard number 7, which was set aside at the edge for storing and dealing with unknown bodies, he had a clear idea of the general situation of the cemetery in his mind and had also devised the best-evading and diversionary routes. Next, he needed to confront the troublesome ¡°graveyard number 4¡±. Not long after Yi Chen left, in graveyard number 6, the grave mound that he had just repaired began to show signs of the soil loosening, and a mouth chewing on fragments of a coffin lid and smeared with moist soil emerged, seemingly still holding an eyeball in its mouth, as if it could gaze through the layers of fences and plants at the ¡®helpful¡¯ young man. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Entities that Transcend Cognition Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Entities that Transcend Cognition [4] Standard Arabic numerals, engraved above the stone archway. The iron gate, with its perforations, embossed patterns, and spiky top, was being slowly pushed open. Adjacent to the gate was a wooden cart, a metal shovel, a rope, and sacks for repairs, alterations, or leveling of the cemetery. Yi Chen placed the axe and kerosene lamp on the cart as well, inhaling deeply, he pushed the wooden cart. As the wheels of the cart rolled into the cemetery soil, no danger assailed him, contrary to his expectations. Upon entering graveyard number 4, Yi Chen looked around, At first glance, he saw neither any roaming ¡®monsters¡¯ nor anything particularly strange, Compared to other graveyards, this one felt ¡®by the book¡¯, with appropriate temperature and humidity, firm soil with few weeds, and a fitting proportion of open ground, graves, and vegetation. However, there were two peculiar areas worth noting. 1. The vegetation here, especially the trees on the edges, gave off a wilted, brittle impression¡­ The leaves had fallen in clumps, unlike the lush branches in the other graveyards. 2. This graveyard housed more than sixty graves, more than any other, and there was no ¡®uniformity¡¯ in the style of the headstones; there was a variety of designs, made of stone, wood, and even metal, rectangular, arched, cross-shaped, disorderly, like a Chaotic Burial Zone, Yi Chen maneuvered the cart among the graves, paying close attention to every area he passed, further confirming the absence of ¡®foreign objects¡¯ before relaxing his taut nerves slightly. Subsequently, he pulled up the ¡®original distribution map¡¯ from his brain, comparing it to the current layout of the cemetery, trying to find discrepancies in the number and order. Having a background in engineering, he was quite skilled at this kind of ¡®spot the difference¡¯ task, and soon arrived at a chilling conclusion. [An extra grave] This superfluous grave was located deeper in, with a cross-shaped metal headstone embedded in the ground, the mound of the grave rising consistently with its surroundings, As Yi Chen eyed this additional grave, he mused: ¡°Following the rulebook, the excess mound must be completely flattened. If there is a body interred within, according to Rule V, transferring it to the designated graveyard number 7 for unknown corpses should be feasible. However¡­ things are surely not that simple, otherwise the former master of this body wouldn¡¯t have chosen suicide. I must proceed with caution.¡± After ensuring nothing was out of the ordinary, he began his work in earnest. He did not tamper with the metal cross, believing such a symbol of sanctity might serve to suppress evil entities. Picking up the iron shovel from the cart, he aimed at the raised mound of earth¡­ schick! Back in the orphanage, he frequently helped with various farming tasks in the backyard and was fairly adept with a shovel, Clang! Until a loud metallic ringing echoed, under the light of the kerosene lamp, part of the coffin¡¯s lid was revealed. ¡°A metal coffin?¡± After shoveling away the surface layer of soil, the pitch-black hexagonal lid, perfectly sealed without any sign of having been opened, became visible. Determined to solve the problem and clean up the mess, Yi Chen quickly found an effective point of leverage before the metallic coffin. Tapping it lightly, creeeaaak! The sound of the lid being pried open pierced the silence of the graveyard like a needle, in an instant. The light from the kerosene lamp rushed into the gap, eager to reveal the specifics within. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡± A naked adult male corpse, its skin completely greenish, with rotting veins forming marble-like patterns and covered in livor mortis¡­ also enveloped by a significant amount of mossy growth. Where there should have been eyes, only fungal colonies existed, with their slightly wriggling caps resembling insect compound eyes. ¡°Moss, fungi? How could these things grow inside a completely sealed metal coffin?¡± Simultaneously perplexed, Yi Chen also noticed another peculiar detail. The body¡¯s palms, lying flat on either side, had nails that had fallen off, and from the surface of the nail beds, thread-like roots grew, extending to the bottom of the coffin. It gave the impression that the body was ¡®stuck¡¯ to the bottom of the coffin. An indescribable strangeness took root in Yi Chen¡¯s heart, even igniting a sense of fear, prompting him to abandon the thought of ¡®transferring the body¡¯, He grabbed the kerosene lamp, trying to throw it at the corpse, to give this bizarre body an ¡®on-site cremation.¡¯ The thought had formed, and his right hand started to make the throwing motion downward¡­ However, just as the kerosene lamp was about to leave his hand, the image guided by the lighthouse flashed through his mind, and an intuition born from his brain told Yi Chen that the kerosene lamp, as the only light source in the graveyard, must not be destroyed. With a background in engineering, Yi Chen highly valued and understood the meaning of so-called intuition. ¡°Intuition¡± is the result of the brain collecting environmental factors at superfast speed in certain situations, integrating all memory data, including subconscious information, and conducting a comprehensive analysis. Since self-awareness cannot keep up with this process, it gives one the impression of a thought that springs forth instantly. Some people don¡¯t take it seriously, however, it often turns out to be a correct and effective analytical result. Such intuition kept the kerosene lamp in his hand, and he did not throw it. ¡°The only source of light¡­ I can¡¯t yet be certain what the real ¡®danger¡¯ is. If the entire graveyard is problematic, losing my light source could lead to being instantly devoured by the darkness here. I should stick to the original plan and transfer the corpse.¡± Yi Chen slapped his cheeks with his hand to heighten his concentration. He picked up the iron shovel again, slipped it against the coffin¡¯s side, and attempted to pry the body up, switching it to a ¡°sitting position¡±¡­ that way, it would be easier to transport the entire body out. However, something even stranger happened, the prying process was extremely difficult, and with great effort, the body was pried up less than two fingers¡¯ breadth. Through the gap created, Yi Chen saw a creepy image he would never forget¡­ Thick and thin roots in large numbers were growing out of the body¡¯s back. These roots had already pierced through the bottom of the coffin and extended deep into the ground. Pulsating, sucking, extracting, the nutrients from below the ground. This terrifying scene immediately made Yi Chen think of the withered and decayed trees in the No. 4 Graveyard, ¡°This guy is drawing the ¡®life force¡¯ of the graveyard!¡± At the same moment, a familiar warning sound came from the outskirts of the graveyard, ¡ìBe careful¡ì This voice, identical to the thanks heard previously in Graveyard No. 6, was highly distinctive. Because of his heightened concentration, the unexpected warning caused Yi Chen to instinctively roll backward, creating a distance of over a meter, At the spot where he had just been standing, the ground was now covered with rotting vines¡­ if he hadn¡¯t rolled away, his feet would probably be ensnared and dragged into the coffin. Immediately after, Creak creak~ supported by numerous roots, the corpse in the coffin stood up, The roots that had burrowed into the ground were all pulled out, their lengths varying from 30cm to 100cm, swaying behind its back. The fungal caps within the corpse¡¯s eye sockets gathered together, forming something resembling eyes, and stared straight into Yi Chen¡¯s eyes. In that moment of eye contact, Yi Chen immediately understood why the owner of this body ¨C William Behrens ¨C chose not to fight to the death but rather to commit suicide. The agony of dying by poison, compared to being killed by a monster or even being drained of nutrients and eaten alive, was indeed far more comfortable. ¡ÚNo way I can beat it¡Û If it were just a zombie from a sci-fi movie, Yi Chen believed he could still take it head-on. But the animated corpse in front of him, had far transcended his understanding, facing such an unknown entity, if he acted rashly¡­ he might be instantly killed the next second. Run! Without any hesitation, he hung the kerosene lamp on his belt hook and bolted. In his mind, he also conceived the best detour route. ¡°I must take time to circle around and observe, to understand some of its traits¡­ I can¡¯t rush! Calm down, maintain a normal breathing rate!¡± Just as he was about to slip out of Graveyard No. 4, Clang! Without any warning, the iron gate, over three meters tall, suddenly slammed shut, In his sprinting state, Yi Chen kicked the iron door fiercely¡­ Bang! The tightly closed door didn¡¯t budge, trapping him inside completely. Watching the iron chains wrapped around the gate from the outside at some unknown point, Yi Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse in his mother tongue. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Senses Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Senses ¡°` Looking at the nearly four-meter-high iron gate in front of him, and the array of spikes vertically aligned at the top. Scaling it would surely take quite some time. If cornered by the undead zombies during the climb, he would be utterly trapped, without any chance of survival. [Move quickly] Cemetery No. 4 covered a larger area than the others, with its disordered heaps of graves and varying heights of the land, there was still some room to maneuver. He turned down the flame of the kerosene lamp to the minimum. After a short sprint, Yi Chen reached a hidden slope, with the help of his memory, where various types and sizes of tombstones stood; his slightly lean body could just hide behind an arch-shaped tombstone. He put his ear to the ground, hearing no stray sounds for the moment, he confirmed that the undead had not yet followed him, and leaned against the tombstone, curling up as he sat. Resting against the cold tombstone actually provided Yi Chen with some comfort. Huff~ Huff~ While catching his breath, he recalled the strange incidents that had just occurred. ¡°Who locked the gate? And the outside was locked with iron chains¡­ If I had to guess, it¡¯s most likely the work of the ¡®Organization¡¯ mentioned in the Handbook. Because of the mistake made by this body¡¯s original owner, William, the Organization would likely have sent someone to surveil the cemetery to prevent bigger mistakes from happening. Once they found out I was in Cemetery No. 4, trying to correct the mistake, they must have locked the gate through some means. This would lead more directly and swiftly to one of two outcomes. One, I overcome the crisis and handle the zombie transformation incident flawlessly. Two, I get killed, and they take care of the problem themselves.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t dwell on this problem for too long, soon moving on to another matter¡ªthe ¡°warning sound¡± that had just saved him. ¡°The voice is almost identical to the thank you I heard in Cemetery No. 6, could it be¡­?¡± As Yi Chen pondered, Rustle~ a faint sound of soil shifting reached him, and the mounded grave in front of him started to stir, as if something was about to crawl out. ¡°This¡­ I was merely using your tombstone to hide, I meant no disrespect!¡± Yi Chen instinctively thought that his impolite behavior had disturbed the master of the grave. While explaining, he slowly got up and held the hand axe in front of him. But little did he know. From within the soil, that familiar and strange voice spoke again: ¡°Don¡¯t stand up now, if ¡®that guy¡¯ detects you at this moment, things will become quite troublesome¡­¡± As the dirt slid off, a bizarre mouth emerged from between the kinked-up mounds. The two rows of sharp, white, overly dense teeth were striking, likely double the number of a normal human, and the other party didn¡¯t seem to want to reveal its full appearance, only showing this mouth. At that moment, the white teeth opened to a 90¡ã angle. The inside of the mouth was all black, devoid of any tongue structure¡­ like a dark abyss, staring too long at it might give one the feeling of being sucked inside. From deep within the mouth, something was continuously floating upwards. With the help of the dim light from the kerosene lamp, a spherical silhouette was faintly visible. Eventually, an eyeball with a black iris and white sclera came between the teeth, staring intently at Yi Chen. Perhaps because he had just witnessed the terrifying undead zombies that defied all logic, this bizarre ¡®toothed-eye¡¯ spectacle didn¡¯t frighten Yi Chen. His instincts told him that this creature might not be dangerous and could even be ¡®somewhat friendly¡¯. ¡°Are you the one from Cemetery No. 6 earlier?¡± After Yi Chen ventured to ask, from deep within the mouth, somehow, in a form that was hard to grasp, that strange, conglomerate voice emerged again: ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a resident of the Pet Zone¡­ It just so happens that I recently developed ¡®Self-awareness¡¯ and accidentally knocked over a tombstone while piecing together my physical form.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a low-level laborer like you to take the initiative to help repair it.¡± Moreover, ¡°The ¡®time frame¡¯ in which you showed up is also problematic,¡± ¡°I was very curious about it, so I followed you to take a look.¡± ¡°Now I understand¡­ It turns out you got into this trouble because you made a mistake and incurred the wrath of the Chaotic Burial Zone¡¯s mutants.¡± His words were filled with many terms that Yi Chen barely understood. ¡°Are the Pet Zone and Chaotic Burial Zone respectively referring to cemetery number 6 and number 4?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ The cemetery functions like a factory, where different graveyards serve as workshops with different purposes, regularly producing some valuable things. ¡°The Desecration Zone (2) and Chaotic Burial Zone (4) are the ones most prone to problems. ¡°As for more information, telling you now would be meaningless.¡± ¡°What you need to do now is to clean up this corpse mutant.¡± ¡°Will you help?¡± Yi Chen asked the most critical question; if he could get help from a fellow ¡®cemetery resident,¡¯ his survival rate would greatly increase. ¡°I can¡¯t offer substantial help. After all, my role in the cemetery is just ¡®pet¡¯; I don¡¯t have the capability to deal with such mutants.¡± As he spoke, the eyeball in his mouth rolled around. ¡°However~ considering you helped repair the tombstone, I am willing to provide some ¡®sensory¡¯ assistance.¡± ¡°Sensory?¡± Rustle rustle~ The mound of soil loosened further, and an arm covered in black fur shot out, supporting the black orb as it emerged from the soil to reveal its true form. The creature stood atop the mound, legs splayed in an assertive stance, as if flaunting its ¡®Body Shape.¡¯ ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± The terrifying image Yi Chen had conjured in his mind instantly shattered, and he understood why this creature came from the Pet Zone. This fluffy black furball was hardly the size of two palms put together. Its limbs, roughly the same thickness as a cat¡¯s, were somewhat longer, split into three lobes like fingers, seemingly functioning similarly to paw pads. When the little guy finished showing off his body, he leaped, landing firmly on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. That¡¯s when the strange thing happened, click click~ Its slender legs detached into numerous even smaller black tubes. Sharp as needles at the tips, they pierced through the cloth, into the blood and flesh, ¡®installing¡¯ the fluffy body on his shoulder, becoming an exterior appendage. Besides the vascular connection, it also performed a neural graft, linking directly to Yi Chen¡¯s brain tissue. Hum! Upon completion of the installation, Yi Chen¡¯s ¡®Vision¡¯ changed, The entire visual field widened, and a small window appeared on the right, displaying the visual feed from the eyeball. As the furball rotated on his shoulder, he could see the 360¡ã view of the graveyard surroundings. Such ¡®split-screen¡¯ vision might be hard to adapt to for most, but Yi Chen felt no discomfort¡ªon the contrary, his face showed ecstatic delight. Most importantly, when the furball and Yi Chen¡¯s eyes both concentrated straight ahead, the small window melded with the main vision. The visual field became clearer, and he could even make out the airborne fungal spores distinctly. This was the so-called ¡®sensory¡¯ assistance, becoming Yi Chen¡¯s ¡®second eye.¡¯ Similarly, due to the neural connection, the small flesh ball could communicate directly with Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness, providing timely danger warnings. ¡°` Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Confrontation Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Confrontation Since he could remember, Yi Chen had never experienced such clear visual imagery. His eyes felt like an ultra-high-resolution imager, capturing every detail within the graveyard. Even when the brightness of the kerosene lamp was turned to its lowest, he could still make out the general situation ten meters away. [Sensory Leap] The first time he touched an ability that ¡®Transcended Humanity¡¯, Yi Chen¡¯s brain became abnormally excited, even stimulating his body to secrete a certain amount of adrenaline, further enhancing his concentration. Confidence surged, bold enough to battle the living dead. Before acting, he had one last question, trying to communicate with the meatball through consciousness, ¡°The living dead wandering around Cemetery No.4, how can it be completely killed? Decapitate it?¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t understand at all. Your understanding of this world is still at the surface¡­ These things can survive even without their heads or hearts; it would only affect their mobility. The real reason he turned this way is that he became ¡®infected¡¯.¡± To kill this living dead, you must find and destroy the pathogen in his body; then, he will revert to a normal corpse state.¡± This guy is still in the early stages of infection, the characteristics of the pathogen should be very obvious, carefully observe his body for any bulges, swellings, or particularly dark spots, and it¡¯s very likely that these correspond to the subcutaneous pathogen. And your ¡°silver-plated hand axe¡± has quite a good lethality against pathogens. As for what abilities this guy has, I have no idea¡­ Good luck, and make sure not to die.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The battle began. Yi Chen, staying close to the tombstone, cautiously peeked out and scanned the nearby area. A slow-moving [shadow] appeared at the edge of his field of vision, focusing field of vision, the staggering living dead entered his sight. The speed was very slow, but the plant roots waving behind its back, resembling octopus tentacles, were chilling to behold, as if once pierced, these roots would sap the fluids from its target. Yi Chen took a deep breath, analyzing the situation in his mind, ¡°No time or tools to set traps. The area is confined to Cemetery No.4, making it difficult to perform long-range flanking. Direct confrontation is unavoidable, but before that¡­ I need to pinpoint the exact position of the pathogen.¡± Refocusing his vision, every part of the living dead¡¯s body, including the roots growing on its back, were clearly visible, there were four noticeable bulges on its body, located on the neck, right shoulder, abdomen, and right thigh. ¡°Let¡¯s confirm¡­¡± Yi Chen picked up some stones nearby that were the right size to fit in his hand. In his younger days, Yi Chen was always able to win at dodgeball games in the orphanage, he could guarantee to hit every playmate trying to dodge, even those several years older were no match for him. Now, with enhanced vision, his throwing accuracy was further improved. Whoosh~ Four stones were thrown, one second apart, aimed at the target. Pop! Pop! Pop! Three of them hit accurately, damaging the skin at the bulges and even oozing some disgusting fluid. As the stone aimed at the waist was about to hit¡­ Pop! Just like the most basic biological irritability, the roots on the back of the living dead suddenly lashed out, precisely hitting the surface of the incoming stone, like a home run, the struck stone directly flew out of Cemetery No.4. Not only that, several more roots followed closely, they coiled and clung to the bulge at the waist, forming a unique protective structure. Following the direction from which the stone came, the head of the living dead violently turned 135¡ã, its eyes filled with fungal caps fiercely stared at the arch-shaped tombstone on the slope. A sense of oppression surged, although Yi Chen got the answer he wanted, cold sweat kept slipping down. ¡°At least my method was effective; the bulge at the waist must correspond to the pathogen. It also shows that the meatball wasn¡¯t deceiving me. However, this guy¡¯s ¡®irritability¡¯ is too outrageous. Stones shot out so suddenly, without any warning, and yet they were precisely deflected¡­ and it even rapidly built a protective layer around the waist. Whew! To kill this living dead, I must sever all the roots on its back, otherwise, any attack aimed at the vital points will be neutralized.¡± Pop~Pop~ The sound of footprints trampling the soil broke his train of thought. The living dead were approaching, pausing in front of the arched stele¡­ whoosh! whoosh! Suddenly, two strong and powerful roots shot up into the air, criss-crossing fiercely and lashing out. Crack! The sturdy large stele was directly snapped in two, and along with it destroyed, was a deep grey coat still carrying the scent of a living person, its metal badge also falling to the ground, engraved with the name ¡°William Behrens.¡± That was it, only the stele and the coat were shattered; the young man hiding behind it had already ¡®shelled¡¯ in advance. Just as the living dead was puzzled and hadn¡¯t yet retracted its roots, a noise came from the corresponding mound of broken stelae, and the shadow lurking behind suddenly leaped out, the glint of silver in his hand extra dazzling, Whir! The silver light traced a perfect arc in the air, landing exactly at the ¡°intersection¡± of the two roots¡­ whoosh~ dark green rotten fluid splashed out, and the two roots were completely severed. Not only that, due to the cutting by the silver-plated material, thick black smoke rose from the severed ends of the roots, which could not heal. ¡°Ah!!¡± A rotten and decaying scream came from the dried, rotting vocal cords of the living dead, as if its vital vein had been severed. Seeing this scene, Yi Chen retracted his hand axe, took a stance, and excitedly whispered, ¡°8 more to go!¡± The screaming had not yet ended, when those swaying roots on the back of the living dead, as if possessing self-awareness, had already locked on the ¡®attacker.¡¯ They turned into sharp spears, piercing through. [Field of View Capture] At that moment, Yi Chen and the meatball¡¯s eyes widened like copper bells¡ªfocused on the scene before them. Such straightforward piercing attacks, the trajectory of each root was completely visible. At less than one meter distance, a perfect lateral roll dodged all the piercing roots. Not only that, in the same moment he perfectly evaded, Yi Chen managed to deliver a diagonal slash in a half-kneeling position, severing the closest root mid-air, rotten fluid splashing onto his face, yet unable to hide his smile as he silently counted: ¡°7 more to go!¡± At this moment, the black meatball rooted on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder couldn¡¯t help but widen its pupils, finding the performance of this ¡®low-level labor¡¯ incredible. ¡°My judgment was indeed right¡­ This guy is completely different from those ordinary ¡®meat pigs.¡¯ In such a dangerously full situation, where a single mistake could lead to death, he adapted so quickly and even seemed to enjoy it to some extent. Keep it up, young human! If such a weak body can slay a pustule, it will definitely attract ¡®higher¡¯ attention¡­ Perhaps I could also seize such an opportunity to gain the chance to go outside.¡± As the meatball indulged in its fantasy of freedom, Oh! Another scream came. However, this time, the individual screaming was the very young man it had high hopes for. Roots, unbeknownst from where, suddenly burrowed out from the ground, piercing through the shoes and the entire foot, the roots emerging from the back of the foot even bloomed flowers, sucking the blood between the toes and turning a bright red color. At that moment, the living dead was pressing its palms to the ground. Obviously, it was controlling the underground plants to execute such a bizarre attack, binding the target. Click, click, click~ Sounds came from the twisting of the neck, as the living dead turned its head and stared intently at the ¡®prey¡¯ now completely immobilized. He was getting serious~ Changing from his previous slow walking, he rushed over swiftly like a spider using the remaining roots on his back as legs. His mouth was wide open, exuding a large amount of mycelium from inside, as if laughing heartily because the prey was about to be caught, or as if wanting to have a ¡®deep kiss¡¯ with Yi Chen, intending to connect the mycelium into the brain through the mouth and nostrils to drain the target dry. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Slaying Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Slaying [Rhythm Changes] The roots transformed into feet, and the living dead crawled rapidly like spiders, without any time to think or hesitate. However, facing all this, Yi Chen had an unprecedented determination¡­ He had bet everything on this battle that transcended common sense. ¡°I never thought I would get through the crisis easily. I was supposed to die in the lab, yet now I¡¯ve unexpectedly obtained the ¡®qualification¡¯ for rebirth¡­ To truly grasp such a qualification, a tremendous price must be paid.¡± He clenched his fists, lifted his legs, and forcibly freed himself from the roots piercing his soles. Even though the curved hooks of the roots had already deeply embedded themselves into his flesh. Yi Chen could distinctly feel the flesh between his feet being slowly picked away¡­ Such excruciating pain could make the vast majority of people unable to continue exerting force, even fainting on the spot. ¡°Pull it out for me!!¡± A roar surged from the depths of his throat. Whoosh! Breaking free from the shackles, dark red blood splattered across the ground. The surface of his freed foot was riddled with holes the size of fingers, inside which chunks of flesh and petals still lingered. Yi Chen didn¡¯t let out a single scream during the whole process, not even his breathing was uncontrolled. Now was the crucial moment that would decide life and death, with the living dead already in front of him, The true threat was not just the mycelium spewed from the mouth, but also the roots growing from the living dead¡¯s back that were fully extended, aiming for Yi Chen¡¯s arms, waist, and legs, trying to impale him and suspend him in the air, making it easy to feed. That instant. Perhaps it was the stimulation from the intense pain, further increasing the secretion of adrenaline, or perhaps it was facing the imminent danger, his potential was fully unleashed. ¡°I must find a weakness!¡± [Vision Focused] The image of the living dead received by Vision seemed to freeze, turning into a still ultra-high-definition picture, to be analyzed in detail by the brain. Jumping back to dodge, no good! Rolling to the side, no good! Charging in one direction, no good! Each potential action to break the deadlock was rejected one by one, until he found an optimal response pattern. The whole process of thinking and analysis hardly took any time. He took a deep breath¡­ Facing the living dead within arm¡¯s reach, Yi Chen didn¡¯t choose to dodge or increase the distance, nor did he take any defensive stance, but instead, he made a seemingly incomprehensible and dangerous move. [Step Forward] With an ultra-fast step forward, he preemptively faced the living dead ¡®face to face¡¯. However, it was precisely this sudden advance that threw the rhythm of the simple-minded living dead into disarray, the roots lunging from left and right all missed their mark, only managing to scratch his arm at most. However, though he dodged the piercing roots, another danger still existed, the mycelium growing inside the zombie¡¯s mouth was about to make contact. At this moment, Yi Chen switched to holding the axe with both hands, one hand at the bottom of the axe handle, and the other near the head of the axe, This greatly increased the power of his swing and shortened the distance of attack¡­ suitable for close combat. Stimulated by the adrenaline, veins popped terrifyingly on his arms, the forward step of his right foot slightly leaned his body forward, lowering his center of gravity, his body in a bow shape, he raised his arms, axe lifted, then brought it down fiercely! The silver blade drew a perfect arc through the air, striking just before the mycelium made contact, chopping vertically and precisely onto the living dead¡¯s head. The skull, already rotting and riddled with holes, simply couldn¡¯t withstand such a blow. Crack! The skull was completely cleaved open, then sliced through the green brain that had merged with the moss, and further split open the jaw, reaching the neck in one breath! The entire head was completely split by that single axe blow, and due to the effect of the silver, black smoke billowed from the wound¡­ The moss-formed brain dissolved entirely, turning into droplets of green liquid that flowed to the ground. This also meant that the living dead¡¯s newly formed ¡®simple consciousness¡¯ was completely erased, regressing to a lower life form without the ability to think. It was at this moment, Crack~ The meatball rooted in the shoulder sensed danger and violently twisted around. ¡°` A small visual window shares the situation behind Yi Chen. The roots that had missed their target were stabbing back in the opposite direction, ¡°Dodge!¡± the meatball warned, and Yi Chen quickly made a coherent motion of a forward duck and sideward roll¡­ Whoosh! During the roll, it felt as if his body was poked. When the roll ended and he stood up, his entire left arm hung limply, unable to be lifted, with only his fingers slightly movable. Upon closer inspection, a coin-sized hole had pierced through his upper left arm, even with moss residues infecting the wound. Drip-drop, drip-drop~ Blood slid down his arm, mingling with the blood overflowing from his foot, staining the ground a vast red. Agonizing pain and the effects of blood loss surged like waves Any trace of relaxation, and consciousness would collapse completely. ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t die!¡± Yi Chen shook his head vigorously, forcibly keeping himself awake. Hiss! A strange noise came. Five meters away, the silvery scorching between the split zombie¡¯s skull had ceased. Wounds immediately sprouted abundant fresh shoots and tendrils, intertwining¡­Flowers clustered between the two halves of the skull at a 90¡ã angle, creating a new head. Once again fixing its gaze on Yi Chen, it charged like an unconscious, crazed beast. Its shape twisted, its gait exaggerated, and the roots on its back were wildly flailing, forcing Yi Chen to rely on Visual Enhancement, and muster all his strength to decipher the trajectory of each root, His eyes during this process were bloodshot, rolling, sidestepping, leaping back. Finding every gap, he countered. 7, 6, 5, ¡­ one by one, the tentacles were severed by Yi Chen, However, due to the puncturing injury on his foot and powerless left arm, Yi Chen¡¯s movements were noticeably slower than before. During this process, his abdomen was pierced, his thigh torn. He could fall at any moment. ¡°Just¡­ just two more left.¡± He gritted his teeth. Yi Chen was preparing to dodge the next attack when, Buzz! A ringing noise attacked, like gongs and drums beating inside his brain. His vision instantly blurred, and the sensation of his body rapidly disappeared. The dodge was only half-executed before his body lurched forward, Whoosh! The zombie¡¯s roots were not completely evaded, grazing past his right shoulder, just nicking the black meatball mounted there, a sticky, eerie black blood flowed from the furry wound, and the eyeball in its mouth also turned black in an instant, staring dead at the zombie. Just one look! It triggered a primal instinctive reaction in the zombie. [Fear] An intense fear instinctively froze the zombie in place, and at the same moment, Yi Chen, in a haze of consciousness, staggered forward but didn¡¯t fall down¡­somehow, through some strength of will, he refocused his mind. He was unable to engage in any further thought, with only one idea in mind ¨C [Slay the target] The Hand Axe was already raised in midair, and as he swung down, his body twisted into motion, Potential sparked by the brink of death summoned all his Power, his vision Locking onto the bulge at the zombie¡¯s waist. Swish! Driven by the same survival instinct, roots growing on the zombie¡¯s back immediately moved to protect the ¡®vital spot,¡¯ their surfaces hardening. The silver blade fell¡­ Crack! A sound similar to the breaking of trees, the shattering of wood echoed through the graveyard. Two hardened roots flew through the air, and the Pathological pus pocket hidden below the skin was completely severed¡­ At the moment the cut was completed, Yi Chen could no longer sustain his resolve, and he blacked out, collapsing alongside the zombie. ¡°` Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cemetery No. 7 Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cemetery No. 7 Amid bewilderment, a familiar voice resounded near his ear, It was the urging voice of a junior in the laboratory, a favorite of his tutor and often acted as a messenger for important matters. ¡°Senior brother, senior brother! You¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t submitted the paper for external review yet!¡± ¡°Damn¡­I haven¡¯t finished revising it yet!¡± These words were a hundred times more terrifying than a nightmare, An indescribable mental shock tore through the dream barrier, pulling Yi Chen back to reality. He abruptly sat up, his back drenched in sweat, Before him lay not the familiar laboratory, but a desolate, dark, and decaying graveyard. Alongside him, a corpse with a devastated brain, devoid of life, lay motionless. At that moment, a faint glow flickered beside his face, a tiny black creature with slender arms and legs, holding a kerosene lamp stood beside him. ¡°You¡¯re awake! That¡¯s pretty impressive~ You actually managed to kill the mutant. The potentially lethal wounds on your body have been stemmed and sutured¡­try standing up.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Yi Chen quickly checked his body, his left arm, which should have been immobile, now lifted smoothly. The coin-sized cavity in his upper left arm was stuffed with unknown black flesh, connected by dense, fluffy hairs. Not only was the bleeding stopped, but the broken muscles and nerves were also connected and repaired, as were the other parts of his body. He slowly stood up, supporting his body with his hand Aside from some dizziness and some pain, there seemed to be no major problems. ¡°Thank you¡­ Next, I still need to take this corpse to Graveyard No. 7.¡± Yi Chen was well aware that the whole matter was far from over, he couldn¡¯t relax until the body was dealt with and the surplus of graves were flattened. The tiny creature was quite pleased with Yi Chen¡¯s attitude, hopping back onto his shoulder and lend a hand with the kerosene lamp. ¡­ Creak, creak~ The wooden wheels of the cart rolled over the ground, making a strange frictional noise, The body, jostled between the sacks during the short journey, finally arrived at Graveyard No. 7, set apart and completely isolated at the edge of the cemetery. According to the Handbook, it should only be approached when an unknown corpse cart appears between the graveyards; ordinarily, it required no approach nor patrol. Unlike Graveyards 1 to 6, it was entirely enclosed by a five-meter-high stone wall, decorated every three meters with a crow sculpture, as if monitoring everything nearby. Moreover, Yi Chen could smell an entirely distinct aroma wafting from Graveyard No. 7, beyond the decay inherent to graveyards, there was also a scent of something burning. Just then, the iron gate embedded in the stone wall opened by itself, accompanied by the sound of footsteps on stone, a tall man in a high hat and black suit stepped out. His hands, clad in white gloves, elegantly supported a cane in front of him, the gold-decorated skull at the tip faintly exuded an aura of the dead. For some reason, the light from the kerosene lamp failed to clearly reveal his face, as if it were masked by a layer of fog. One could only vaguely spot his prominent nose, However, Yi Chen, with his unique vision, noticed an important detail. The middle of the cane was decorated with a ring of gold inscribed with the organization¡¯s emblem, [G&D] Presumably, This person was likely an agent sent by the Organization to deal with trouble, and if Yi Chen had died in section 4 of the cemetery, this person would personally handle it. There was another possibility, this person belonged to the Organization and had always been in section 7 of the cemetery. At that moment, the other party initiated the conversation. ¡°William Behrens, An external ordinary employee managing to handle the metamorphosis incident in section 4 all by himself¡­ It has been seventeen years since we¡¯ve had someone as interesting as you in this cemetery. Bring the body in, I need to conduct a more thorough examination of the metamorphosis.¡± The Mysterious figure glanced specifically at the small flesh ball on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, seemingly determining the flesh ball¡¯s ¡®harmlessness¡¯ or verifying its category and identity, then led Yi Chen inside. Contrary to what had been expected, this so-called section 7 of the cemetery had no graves at all, only a metal dome-shaped building constructed at the center, topped with a towering chimney¡­ The smell of charring that had been noticed earlier was drifting from this chimney. Furthermore, Yi Chen also noticed that telephone lines from the wooden cabin extended to this place, making it very likely that the mysterious person here was the ¡®Manager¡¯ referred to in the Handbook. Upon entering the dome-shaped building, the inside was mainly divided into two areas, one being equipped with various surgical instruments and an old-fashioned operating table designated as the [autopsy area]. The other connected to the chimney, in constant incineration state, was the [Cremation Area]. Yi Chen, following instructions, maneuvered the corpse with a blown-open head onto the operating table, the Mysterious person donned a white apron, picked up the instruments, and began the process. The speed was fast, even somewhat dazzling¡­ conclusions were reached within a few minutes. ¡°Metamorphosis infection, a rather rare case. The pus-like pathogen was lens-shaped, with excellent transparency and visible distinct ¡®color particles¡¯, belonging to a special, rare variant, and at the initial stage of infection. The wound was deep, the pus-like pathogen was split open in a single move¡­ Silver impregnation, eliminating illness. Elegant and effective.¡± While examining the lethal wounds of the zombie, the Mysterious person suddenly cast a meaningful look at Yi Chen. ¡°Cultivate a bit, and you could become a decent gentleman. Since you cut the pathogen in a single move without using any non-physical forms of attack, this body¡¯s damage rate is less than 10%, its value can be further exploited. Next, send the body to the incinerator, see how your luck holds.¡± Yi Chen just listened quietly, though not understanding some parts, he faintly sensed an opportunity. [Cremation Area] In front of the steaming giant incinerator, connected by a hook conveyor belt. The body needed to be hung on an iron hook, then sent into the oven for incineration using a hand-cranked wheel situated beside it. This design structure, reminded Yi Chen of a delicacy he often enjoyed in his life¡ª[Beijing Roasted Duck]. Thinking of the charring smell permeating the air, a stirring sensation immediately arose in his stomach. He still resisted it, though. Following the Mysterious person¡¯s instructions, he pierced the corpse¡¯s shoulder blade with the iron hook. As the plant zombie was sent into the incinerator, several other skeletons that were burned down to the bones could be seen. ¡°That¡­ the extra coffin and tombstone from section 4 haven¡¯t been removed yet, I¡¯ll handle that now,¡± Yi Chen mentioned. ¡°No rush. You¡¯ve killed the pathogen, eliminated the ¡®illness¡¯. The tombstones and coffins associated with this body will disappear in succession, no need for further handling. Before the cremation ends, we can have a private chat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen himself wanted to understand more about this world. Just the bizarre experiences in the cemetery had completely drawn him in. The Mysterious person opened a secret passage leading to the basement, which effectively isolated the dry heat and odor from the Cremation Area, the so-called basement turned out to be a room lavishly decorated in heavy European style, a three-room suite, fully equipped with living necessities. Seeing this, it was quite possible that the other party had been living here for a long time. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Requirements Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Requirements Between the red brick fireplace, The burning firewood crackled like an elderly man expending his last breaths, his voice final and faint. Yi Chen sat opposite the mysterious figure on the tea-colored hard skin sofa, holding a steaming cup of ginger tea in his hands, known to dispel the chill amassed from long years spent amongst the graves. ¡°Your graceful demeanor has earned you the opportunity to speak with me here. As an externally hired Labor, no doubt you have many questions¡­ Don¡¯t be restrained, feel free to discuss anything.¡± ¡°How should I address you?¡± ¡°Just call me Wilbert; I¡¯m in charge of this Seven-Day Cemetery. As Yi Chen had surmised, this man was indeed the Manager mentioned in the Handbook. ¡°I want to know why a new corpse mysteriously appeared in Graveyard 4? If there were a body delivered from the outside to the cemetery, there must be a transportation and burial process, which should be easy to notice, right?¡± Yi Chen started with a minor question related to himself, attempting to open up a dialogue. If possible, he would then inquire about the fundamental nature of this world. ¡°The ¡®corpse¡¯ you killed didn¡¯t come from the outside, it was generated by the cemetery itself.¡± ¡°Generated by itself?¡± ¡°Graveyard 4 has the most numerous and varied corpses. Such disorder easily attracts ¡®illness¡¯, The walking corpse you slayed originated from a diseased tree¡­ Since it was formed within the graveyard, it naturally tends to undergo ¡®morphological evolution¡¯ with the corpses here.¡± With these answers, Yi Chen developed even more questions, ¡°A tree turns into the form of a corpse after being diseased? Then how about the matching coffin and gravestone?¡± ¡°[Hiding and Camouflage]are Pathogen¡¯s greatest strengths, blending into the environment with an almost perfect imitation¡­ By the time they¡¯re discovered, the Pathological spread is already far gone. However, their camouflage isn¡¯t absolutely perfect. Once you become a gentleman within the Organization, you will naturally learn how to identify them.¡± Yi Chen¡¯s face registered surprise, ¡°You¡¯re saying that the metal coffin and gravestone were simulations by the Pathogen?¡± ¡°Exactly, and that is merely the most basic form of camouflage. You haven¡¯t yet seen Pathogens disguised as an entire village, a cave, or even a mountain range.¡± Though brief, Wilbert¡¯s words painted for Yi Chen a picture of a world utterly diseased with affliction. Yet, the corners of Yi Chen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, a smile full of anticipation and a desire to explore. He took a sip of his ginger tea and spoke softly, ¡°This world¡­ is it sick?¡± ¡°Indeed, the fact that we can sit here, drinking tea and having a normal conversation, is quite a luxury for most people. The situation [outside]is far worse than you imagine, but the outside world isn¡¯t something we should be talking about right now. That will be part of your future investigations.¡± Seeing the conversation returned to the current topic, Yi Chen did not press further and continued asking about matters within the cemetery. ¡°I have some more questions about the cemetery, the Employee Handbook lists many standardized requirements, presumably to determine whether something is ¡®infected¡¯. From this perspective, it seems the entire cemetery is prone to abnormalities, to Pathological issues¡­ Knowing the corpses might cause problems, why not cremate them directly instead of establishing this cemetery?¡± ¡°The reason is simple, the ¡®benefits¡¯ generated here outweigh the ¡®risks¡¯ we take, you may regard the whole cemetery as a large factory, for instance, the little creature on your shoulder is a product of near perfection, and it significantly aids us in combating pathogens.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yi Chen had already witnessed the little flesh ball¡¯s ¡®capabilities¡¯, without Visual Enhancement, he wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance against the walking corpse. The Manager continued, ¡°Strictly speaking, this little fellow is the property of the Organization. However, I am very pleased today, gratified to see such an interesting newcomer like you. If you can meet a requirement, I¡¯ll ¡®quietly¡¯ give this little fellow to you.¡± ¡°What requirement?¡± Minces no words, Yi Chen was very interested in acquiring the small flesh ball. ¡°You¡¯ll know once the cremation is over.¡± Next, Yi Chen inquired about each area of the cemetery, learning that before his arrival, at least two hundred other contracted employees had worked here and not a single one had successfully left the cemetery. He also obtained another important piece of information. The Organization¡¯s mark was G&D, short for Gentleman & Doctor. However, the Manager did not divulge much about the Organization¡¯s other affairs, global intelligence, or the cause of the Pathological transformation. According to him, these things required Yi Chen to go out into the world and explore for himself. Verbal recounting was considered a waste of time and utterly meaningless. Time passed quickly. The Manager rolled up his sleeves and glanced at his watch. ¡°The cremation should be about done; follow me.¡± Returning to the sweltering, scent-rich Cremation Area, when the metal cover of the incinerator was opened, the plant corpse that Yi Chen had slain had mostly turned to carbon, yet still retained a relatively complete form. Out of the furnace, onto a tray, sent to the surgery room. The Manager took a large pair of tweezers, extracted a crystal clear spherical crystal from the corpse¡¯s midsection, about the size of a table tennis ball. The little meatball, which had been resting with its eyes closed the whole time, woke up at this moment, revealing the eye in its mouth and fixating on this spherical object. Thick drool followed, soaking the fur around its mouth completely. Clank¡ªthe Manager set the crystal lightly on a metal tray next to him, took a monocle from the lining of his suit, and observed carefully: ¡°Hmm? To have such color and shape¡­ I¡¯m having some regrets. This crystal could fetch a high price within the Organization. It could even help me to expand and upgrade the cemetery.¡± After the inspection, the Manager placed the crystal in his palm, showing it to Yi Chen. It had the color of white jade, with a transparency of about 80%, and inside, one could clearly see some moving green specks, ¡°I must say, your luck is quite good. The chance of a crystal being produced from a nascent Patient is less than 5%, not to mention this crystal¡¯s shape and color are top-notch, and its essence is perfectly preserved. Next, you have three choices. 1. Keep and hide this crystal, and then head to the city where the Organization is located. Once you become one of its residents, or are granted the status of a Gentleman, you can give the crystal to a local artisan to craft a fine piece of equipment. 2. Similar to the first option, you must become a member of the Organization and sell it through internal channels at a high price. Or, you can sell it to me directly for 50% of the price, which would mitigate a great deal of risk for you. After all, once seen by others, this crystal will inevitably attract considerable trouble. 3. Swallow the crystal here and now, making it part of your body. This process carries the risk of death, but if successful, you will gain the Pathological Characteristic preserved in the crystal¡­ This trait will allow you to live longer in this world and give you a greater chance to pass the assessment and become a member of the Organization. The third point is also the ¡°requirement¡± we discussed earlier, as long as you can swallow it and survive, the little creature on your shoulder will be given to you as the cemetery¡¯s parting gift.¡± Yi Chen did not rush to answer, but appeared to be deep in thought. ¡°Manager, I have just one question. If I¡¯m not wrong, this is a byproduct of a Pathogen¡¯s crystallization¡­ If I swallow it, I might become infected and turn into something similar to the living dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, the risk lies there. If you cannot Combine properly and display any symptoms of illness, I will execute you myself.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Yi Chen carefully took the crystal, feeling the residual heat of the burn on its surface. He had already made up his mind, gulp¡ªswallowed it in one gulp. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Departure Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Departure Perhaps because it was the first time he had swallowed an object as large as a ping-pong ball, perhaps because the forthcoming event would determine life or death, or perhaps it was the sensory enhancement brought by the small flesh ball, Yi Chen could distinctly feel the digestion happening between his stomach walls, The crystalline surface, round like an embryo, bubbled and decomposed continuously under the erosion of stomach acid¡­ These digested surfaces transformed into nutrients absorbed by the stomach, eventually exposing the pathological material within the core of the crystal, a ¡°green striped body¡± somewhere between a worm and root, entered the intestines via the mouth, and was ultimately broken down and absorbed by digestive enzymes and bile in the intestines, flowing into the bloodstream. In an instant, Yi Chen¡¯s entire bloodstream turned a fluorescent green, and the structure of the blood vessel walls began undergoing a plant-specific ¡®secondary growth,¡¯ akin to embedding vascular bundles within the blood vessels, The whole process was incredibly painful as if it was trying to peel the blood vessels and other tissues from each other, far exceeding the intense pain he had felt when his foot was pierced and withdrawn, Just as his consciousness was about to be scattered by this pain, the essence of the pathological transformation within the blood officially penetrated deep into the brain, leading his thoughts to a peculiar memory. This was a discontinuous signal memory stored between plant cells, With Yi Chen¡¯s brain integrating and processing it, it was finally projected into the memory area for an ¡®immersive experience.¡¯ He could feel a tree going through the whole process of seed germination, seedling growth, and trunk formation. Experiencing the roots growing downwards, sucking moisture from deep within the soil, and forming a symbiotic structure with the bacteria in the soil. Feeling the distinctive photosynthesis of plant cells, breathing in the carbon dioxide from the air. Experiencing periodic transformations¡ªprimary growth and secondary growth, establishing a complete, robust plant system, becoming an unnoticed guardian in the cemetery. Until finally being infected by an unknown pathogen, transforming through mimicry into a living corpse. What Yi Chen did not know was that, while he was reliving the plant memory, his real body in the operating room was undergoing bizarre changes, Emerging from the pores, nascent green stems grew out through the cuff, collar, or waistband of his clothes. Wriggling filaments sprouted from the corners of his mouth, nostrils, and ear canals, his dilating pupils turned green, constantly shrinking and expanding abruptly. It was unknown how long this state lasted, but when the browsing of memories ended, and his thoughts returned to reality, ¡°Did I survive?¡± Yi Chen quickly checked his whole body and found no structures of bark or branches (they had already retracted into his body)¡­ His body was the same as before, only he vaguely felt his physical condition seemed slightly improved. The Cemetery¡¯s manager, Mr. Wilbert, displayed a satisfied grin, ¡°I knew you could do it.¡± He seemed to have anticipated that Yi Chen would survive and brought unprocessed, raw vegetables prepared in advance, Upon seeing the vegetables, Yi Chen had a d¨¦j¨¤ vu, a sensation like a vagrant spotting a luxurious feast, and he voraciously ate up five or six pounds of it without any concern for appearances. During the meal, the wounds caused from the skirmish with the living corpses were healing at a visible rate, and the fluff provided by the small flesh ball was also being covered by new flesh. Yi Chen muttered, ¡°My body¡­ has undergone some changes.¡± The manager explained, ¡°Exactly, you have perfectly accepted the ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯ within the crystal. As for what specific changes your body has undergone, you will need to explore them yourself. Once you officially become a member of the organization, you will be able to search in detail for these traits.¡± With that, the manager took out a particular metal business card from his pocket, entirely silver. The back was embossed with the logo of organization G&D, and the front displayed ¡®Seven-Day¡¯ in a flowing italic, representing the current location, the Seven-Day Cemetery. While handing over the card, he also said: ¡°Since you¡¯ve met the ¡®requirements,¡¯ the little guy on your shoulder is also yours to keep.¡± One thing to note, if anyone asks about the origins of this little fellow, you can choose to ignore them. If necessary, just show this business card, it can save you a lot of trouble. The world has become infected, Even intact creatures have become suspicious by nature, it¡¯s best to avoid trouble when traveling alone.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As Yi Chen was taking the card, Wilbert suddenly remembered an important matter. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve started guiding you to join the organization without asking about your own will. Let us start over¡­ Would you like to be a member of the organization? If you¡¯re not very keen on the idea or somewhat resistant, you can continue to stay working in the cemetery, and you will receive a generous salary once the contract period is met.¡± Yi Chen answered without any hesitation: ¡°I want to see the outside world.¡± ¡°Very good. Tomorrow at noon, go to the eastern exit of the town. Show the coachman the business card, and he will naturally take you to the area related to the organization.¡± Saying this, the manager tossed over a small linen bag filled with heavy coins, ¡°These are your overdue salary for these few months and a special bonus for this event. Since your work clothes were damaged in battle, before you leave, remember to visit the highest-grade clothing store in Easton Town¡­ Show the card to the owner, and she will make you a set of quality clothes that fit your identity. The organization has certain requirements for a person¡¯s dress and appearance. Don¡¯t discard the gentlemanly etiquette you learned at the orphanage¡­ Elegant habits can effectively shield the mind from pathological influences.¡± ¡°Understood. But¡­¡± Yi Chen looked reluctantly at the silver-plated hand axe in his hand which was exquisitely made and offered notable effects in warding off infection. The manager waved his hand, ¡°Take this basic weapon from the organization¡¯s craftsmen and the specially made long-lasting kerosene lamp with you. The journey to the organization will not be smooth, and both a light source and a sharp weapon are essential.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With little time left until the next morning, Yi Chen said his goodbyes and then returned to the cabin to sleep and rest. When the sparse sunlight passed through the layers of mist, squeezing through the narrow gaps between branches and leaves into the cemetery, the young man, carrying a kerosene lamp and hand axe at his waist, gave a deep bow to Grave No. 7 and then set off on his journey¡­ In contrast, at the entrance of Grave No. 7, Cemetery Manager Wilbert watched the young man¡¯s departing figure with crow-like eyes, piercing through the cemetery¡¯s buildings and trees, his lips twitching slightly, seemingly very reluctant to part with a certain ¡®item¡¯ the young man had taken. It was not the high-quality crystal extracted from among the corpses, but an important product of the cemetery, a small meatball sticking on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wonder if such costly investment would prove worthwhile. The ¡®Consciousness Maturity¡¯ from the Nameless Graveyard hasn¡¯t appeared for over a hundred years, has it? And now it coincidentally appears alongside a potential who could kill the living dead and accept the crystal. Coincidence? Or some kind of synchronicity? Nevermind¡­ Let¡¯s call it a bold gamble.¡± Yesterday, during the conversation with Yi Chen, the manager intentionally did not elaborate on this little meatball, merely mentioning it briefly as a ¡®pet¡¯, ¡®a product of the cemetery.¡¯ What Yi Chen didn¡¯t know was, the division of the cemetery, corresponding not only to different forms of bodies, rule management, and types of tombstones, but also the significance of the numeration from 1 to 6. As the number increases, the cycle for the cemetery¡¯s yield of corresponding ¡®products¡¯ will dramatically increase, as will the complexity and danger of the bodies buried therein. This means, those buried in Grave No. 6, nameless and of unknown origins, the ¡®Nameless Strange Corpses¡¯, are the most dangerous. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Clothing Store in the Town Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Clothing Store in the Town Pathological World, Various existences that transcend common sense, and exploitable abilities, as well as the mysterious organization they were about to head to, endless unknown waiting to be explored, Yi Chen, due to being overly excited, had only slept for four hours last night¡­ Perhaps it was because he had obtained the ¡°Pathological Characteristic,¡± not only was he not tired, but his spirit and appearance were both in an excellent state. Just as he stepped out of the cemetery gate, he had expected to be greeted by fresh air, warm sunlight, and townsfolk full of life and diverse colors. However, the street scene was not much better than the cemetery, The wind blowing in his face was mixed with a thick scent of crude oil, industrial wastewater, metals, and various by-products, which he could almost taste. Over rows of low, pointed town buildings, several thick smokestacks could be seen emitting exhaust. The sunlight was not as bright as anticipated, The sky seemed covered with several layers of fine fabric, with only sparse light falling on the ground, not even enough to dispel the dark dust left from the night before. Around him, the number of townspeople did not exceed the number of fingers on a hand. They seemed unwilling to expose their bodies to the air, covering themselves with large pieces of cloth, Even their faces were hidden behind homemade simple masks, hunched over, trying to breathe the air closer to the ground as much as they could. The entire town was strange and cold, even mixed with a hint of despair, ¡°This world¡­ is even worse than I imagined.¡± Just then, a cheerful friction sound came from his shoulder, The fuzzy black furball seemed to have just woken up, Opening its mouth wide, revealing its black and white eyeballs, it rubbed continuously¡­ as if stretching lazily. Two slender black hands waved back and forth like waves. ¡°Finally leaving this damn cemetery, it¡¯s fantastic! Before we embark on our adventure, let¡¯s go eat something first¡­ I haven¡¯t eaten in a long time.¡± ¡°Okay, what do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Grapes, lots of grapes¡­¡± As the black furball uttered the word ¡°grapes,¡± it also pointed to its eyeballs, and Yi Chen naturally understood the true meaning of ¡°grapes¡± in its context. He didn¡¯t find anything inappropriate, Recalling that in his previous world, many people liked to eat foods like fish eyes and roasted pig eyes. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but first let¡¯s make a stop at the tailor shop.¡± Currently, Yi Chen was only wearing a shabby, damaged shirt, There were puncture holes in the sleeves, and marks of tears on his waist and trouser legs. Paired with the body of William Behrens that hadn¡¯t been washed or bathed for several days, he would rank at the bottom even among the homeless. Walking along the fairly spacious streets of the town, due to a long lack of cleaning, the joints in the ground were filled with sunflower seed shells, dirty water, and rotten insect carcasses. The number of people in the town had been decreasing year by year, and many shops had been closed for a long time. The few remaining stores were just barely surviving, possibly closing at any time. Such scenes made Yi Chen wonder if there really was a decent clothing store here. As he puzzled over this, around the corner of the alley, a building structure drastically different from the surrounding residential buildings entered his view, Dominated by black and possessing a rich Gothic style, tall and thin. Between the long, narrow windows, it seemed as though someone was secretly peeping outside. The overall feeling was one of delicacy and gloom, akin to a noble building that would only exist in a big city, completely out of place in this decrepit town. The brass-framed sign at the door read ¨C ¡°Maurice & Sad.¡± With the visual enhancement granted by the little furball, he could see the high-end clothes inside the window from a distance. ¡°This should be the high-end tailor shop that Mr. Wilbert mentioned. I wonder, with daily expenses being quite substantial, the townspeople¡¯s income seems unlikely to afford this level of shop. Why would such a store exist?¡± With doubts in his mind, Yi Chen crossed the dirty streets, under the watchful eyes of the masked residents, and pushed open the front door of the tailor shop. Ding~ The silver bells attached to the door frame chimed together. A light, ethereal fragrance swiftly enveloped Yi Chen, drowning out the industrial smell lingering in his nostrils. Such a scent instantly filtered Yi Chen out from the dilapidated town and drew him into this elegant and tranquil tailor shop. Various styles of portable lamps were distributed around the shop, Above the wardrobe, In the corners of the walls, Or displayed individually as accessories on some exhibition stands, The interwoven lights conveyed the full view of the tailor shop to customers, while bestowing warmth and safety. A lady wearing a flower-embroidered hat, her face obscured by a veil, and her long dress sweeping the floor, walked out from the inner room. The firelight was able to outline a beautiful visage through the veil, as if painting a portrait. Yi Chen thought his shabby appearance would be looked down upon by the owner, maybe even kicked out. However, The woman stopped in front of him, Gently sniffing through the veil, Capturing the unique graveyard scent that lingered on Yi Chen, ¡°How rare, it has been a long time since a living person managed to leave the graveyard¡­ Did Wilbert send you here?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Wilbert asked me to purchase a fitting outfit here before boarding the carriage.¡± Yi Chen immediately took out a metal business card from his pocket. ¡°Do you need to leave urgently today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In that case, you¡¯ll have to choose from the ¡®ready-to-wear¡¯¡­ Once you¡¯ve passed the organization¡¯s vetting, you can go to that tailor shop over there for a ¡®fully customized¡¯ suit.¡± When the lady mentioned ¡®organization¡¯, it seemed that she and the tailor shop must be related to it, which explained the backing of their economy. ¡°I wonder if the money I have on me is enough?¡± Yi Chen pulled out all his earnings from working in the graveyard ¨C a pocketful of silver coins. However, The lady paid no attention to those scattered coins, Instead, she grabbed Yi Chen¡¯s wrist with her hand, her sharp nails nearly piercing his skin. Through this simple contact, She completed measuring his physical dimensions and also read some internal information. ¡°No wonder you managed to walk out of the graveyard alive, and even got Wilbert¡¯s card and graveyard products. You¡¯ve actively embraced the ¡®Pathological Characteristic.¡¯ Interesting.¡± Her words retreated along with her hand, And she even took away nearly half of the silver coins in the cloth bag. ¡°I happen to have a ready-to-wear suit that fits your physical dimensions. However, it¡¯s necessary for you to ¡®purify¡¯ your body before trying on the outfit, washing away the dust of the deceased brought from the graveyard.¡± Led by the lady, Yi Chen came to the bathroom within the tailor shop. After cleaning, The lady personally trimmed his face and hair, With the exterior modifications complete, Yi Chen finally had a chance to see his own appearance in the dressing mirror. Under the finely groomed black hair, his facial features weren¡¯t much different from his original self. One might even say it was his usual appearance with some added Western characteristics, Such as a higher nose bridge, and deeper eye sockets. Upon closer inspection, he resembled a young Keanu Reeves¡­ Although not precisely in detail, overall it was quite good. ¡°I really do share quite a bit of resemblance with the original owner of this body; it probably has something to do with the transcendence.¡± Next was the fitting. A white shirt, A dark green striped waistcoat, Black trousers with a certain amount of elasticity, And a black coat similar to the work clothes in the graveyard, capable of covering the whole body and hiding the face¡­ giving off a somber feel. After tying the laces of the black Oxford shoes, The lady personally tied a black tie for him, Seeing the new image in the mirror, Yi Chen¡¯s spirits were instantly lifted. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Journey Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Journey Yi Chen had never worn such elegant and chic clothes before, though they were ready-made, their fit was over 90% perfect, not hindering movement at all, and the fabric that touched the skin was quite comfortable. However, the dissatisfaction was evident on the boss lady¡¯s face, hidden behind the thin veil, ¡°It¡¯s a pity you are not yet a member of the Organization, and there is not enough time. Otherwise, I could have at least semi-custom made a more fitting and useful outfit for you¡­ For now, this temporary ¡®casual wear¡¯ will have to do, I hope it won¡¯t affect the Organization¡¯s evaluation of you.¡± ¡°I am already very satisfied,¡± ¡°Once you pass the Organization¡¯s assessment, you will get a chance for a free [Full Customization], At that time, you can choose any tailor shop under the Organization to measure and tailor, truly experiencing the importance of dressing. Remember, a perfect outfit can ¡®stimulate¡¯ your spirit, and can create a style that¡¯s uniquely yours. Wrapping your body in precious, ancient fabrics will decide how you present yourself to the world and whether you can survive in this current world. You must invest a lot of energy in your attire, striving for perfection.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Yi Chen pulled out a mechanical watch that was included as a bonus from his pocket, only to realize that it was almost noon, with only half an hour left before the departure of the carriage. After hurriedly saying goodbye to the boss lady, he quickly rushed to the town entrance. Despite being in a rush, when passing by a butcher¡¯s shop, Yi Chen still managed to spare some time to buy all the pig and cow eyes available, a total of thirteen. Without any processing needed, when he handed these so-called ¡®grapes¡¯ to the black meatball, it directly gulped them down whole, bursting with juice inside its chamber, then slowly chewed. The black fuzz all over its body gently fluttered during the eating process, seemingly enjoying it. It finally felt satisfied after swallowing five. The remaining ¡®grapes¡¯ were also swallowed whole into its body, stored and preserved¡­ to be taken out and eaten when needed. Yi Chen curiously asked, ¡°Do you only eat this?¡± ¡°Grapes are my staple, the nutrients contained in the juice are vital for my body. I can eat other foods, of course, but they are not as important.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have a name.¡± ¡°Right, I was assembled from fermented incomplete corpse pieces from Grave No. 6, those bodies were all unnamed, so I essentially don¡¯t possess anything like a [Name].¡± ¡°How about I call you ¡®Little Grape¡¯?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The meatball once again waved its arms like waves, seemingly quite pleased with its new name. In the last five minutes, Yi Chen finally reached the entrance of the town. Two sturdy brown horses were pulling the large wooden carriage, which could accommodate at least eight people. Noteworthy was, both horses were wearing special breathing masks, their bodies covered with multiple layers of fabric, only exposing their hooves. As the departure time was nearing, the carriage was packed with masked, tightly wrapped townsfolk, all carrying large and small luggage, ready to leave Easton Town. Yi Chen quickly approached the white-haired coachman and discreetly showed the cemetery¡¯s business card. Unexpectedly, the seemingly aged and frail coachman quickly shot a piercing gaze like that of an eagle at the young man before him. With a mouth full of old smoke slowly opening, smoke and voice emerging simultaneously, ¡°You sit in the back, the journey is long¡­¡± ¡°Understood,¡± As he stepped into the carriage, perhaps due to his elegant attire, or perhaps due to the Little Grape perched on his shoulder. The cramped townsfolk made way for him as much as possible, some even exhibiting a sense of fear, slightly trembling, they pressed close to each other to make space for Yi Chen, As the carriage started, despite the rubber-coated wooden wheels, one could still feel the varying intensities of jolting. Due to lack of sleep the previous night, the boring carriage ride quickly brought on a sense of drowsiness, and Yi Chen rested his head on the wooden ledge of the carriage, entering into a dreamworld amidst the shaking and swaying. After an unknown amount of time, a restless unease inside the carriage woke Yi Chen up, and he instinctively looked at his watch. ¡°Have I slept for over three hours?¡± Some of the passengers had left at a stop, turning the previously cramped space into one where one could stretch out a bit and move around. However, the remaining passengers seemed anxious, and one could even directly see the fear of death in their pupils. They pulled more fabric from their respective luggage to wrap around their bodies, even coiling it around themselves like mummies. Just as Yi Chen was beginning to wonder, the coachman¡¯s voice came from up front: ¡°We are about to enter the Grey Zone. Everyone try to minimize breathing and unnecessary physical activities, clear your thoughts¡­ If any symptoms appear, regardless of severity, they will be treated as ¡®pathological¡¯.¡± With that, the coachman outside unfurled a black, thick cloth, sealing off the carriage. Darkness fell, and only the kerosene lamp at Yi Chen¡¯s waist could dispel the darkness inside the carriage. Grey Zone Yet another term I hadn¡¯t heard before, analyzing the coachman¡¯s words, it must be a special area afflicted by pathological infection, At this moment, Little Grape sent a message: ¡°With me here, plus the fact that you have accepted a not-so-poor quality of Source Essence, common Grey Zones like these pose little threat to you. The only thing you need to be cautious of is the other people in the carriage. If you notice anything unusual about them, act as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Yi Chen actually wanted to see what this so-called Grey Zone was like, Unfortunately, since the carriage was sealed, he could only focus on the inside of the carriage. As they journeyed through the Grey Zone, aside from the jolting sounds, the carriage was silent, the passengers sat like wooden figures, some even striking poses of prayer or kneeling. One hour, Two hours, without any word from the coachman, nobody knew whether they had passed through the Grey Zone. Just then, a woman wrapped in deep red fabric began to show slight convulsions. Because of the constant jolting, this anomaly went unnoticed by the other passengers, However, Yi Chen had already moved his right hand to the axe handle at his waist. A few seconds later, the woman leaned forward, making a vomiting gesture, Hiss¡­ black smoke rose. The mask on the woman¡¯s face and the fabric were completely corroded by her own vomit. It revealed a scarlet mouth torn at the corners, her lips no longer intact, Even her tongue had turned into a hose-like shape, continually leaking corrosive black liquid, Buzz! Yi Chen swung the Silver Axe almost instantly, Just as the axe blade was about to slice into her neck, suddenly, a bullet the size of a grain of rice shot from the front of the carriage, striking precisely at the back of the woman¡¯s neck, shattering the ¡®pathogen abscess¡¯ hidden between the throat¡­ With almost no bleeding, the woman collapsed onto the floor, no longer moving. Then, a stern rebuke from the coachman came from the front of the carriage: ¡°Did you intend to cut open her neck and let the bodily fluids mixed with residual pathogens spray out, infecting everyone here?¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± After Yi Chen apologized, the coachman¡¯s tone returned to normal. ¡°However¡­ your only means of killing is the axe. Still, considering your reaction, not bad. Do me a favor, see that burlap sack under the seat? Wrap up this corpse and stuff it into the compartment in the floor.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Perhaps because he had inherited the role of Tomb Guardian, Yi Chen was quite adept at wrapping up bodies, quickly stuffing the wrapped corpse into the hidden compartment in the floor. Only a splash was heard! The corpse slid through a chute at the bottom of the carriage, thrown out to either dry and disintegrate in the Grey Domain or become fodder. Another hour passed, and the carriage finally crossed the said Grey Zone The surviving passengers began to discuss their future new lives with laughter and cheer, They disembarked at various places, and Yi Chen, as the last passenger, got off at the terminal station. ¡°We¡¯ve reached the end¡­ Get ready for the organization¡¯s assessment, I hope you survive.¡± Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Green Lake Town Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Green Lake Town After a journey of over six hours, it was now dusk. When Yi Chen stepped off the coach, filled with excitement, he didn¡¯t see any signs of the Organization or any grand buildings, instead, another small town came into view, and about two hundred meters behind him, next to the road, stood a huge billboard ¡°Welcome to Green Lake Town (Green-Lake)¡± The town, retaining a medieval style, carried a vibrant and lively aura, with buildings mostly made of slightly yellowed white bricks, paired with brown and red roofs. Perhaps because the town had no factories, the air was fresher and the overall light penetration was better, one could feel the last warmth of the sunset on their skin. Paired with the town¡¯s spacious streets, neatly arranged trees, extensive lawns, and the large lake adjoining the town, it gave a tranquil and comfortable sense of nature. It was a place far from industrial cities, a return to nature, a tourist spot. Seeing such a vibrant town, Yi Chen felt a slight stir of plant life within him, and his physiological needs quickly surged. ¡°Hold on a moment¡­¡± He quickly dived into a small grove beside the road, and the moment he loosened his belt, a sensation similar to flood discharge swept through his lower body. After dealing with the waste water accumulated in his body, due to not having eaten for a long time, his gaze was immediately drawn to the lush vegetation around, saliva secreting. Ultimately, he could not resist. After confirming there was no risk of infection, he directly bit into the bark of a tree, even pulling off some leaves and grass to eat together. The plants in his stomach quickly converted into nutrients with high efficiency. The whole process took less than five minutes, Yi Chen had fully returned to his pre-journey state of energy, just as he walked out of the grove and returned to the coach, surprisingly, different types of coaches were continuously arriving at the town, and the individuals descending from these coaches were all under the age of thirty, dressed neatly, behaving elegantly, each with a distinct style, Yi Chen tried asking the coachman next to him, ¡°Are all these people here to join the Organization?¡± ¡°Every month, a good number of people come from various places to participate in the Organization¡¯s assessments. Some are born into well-known big families, with ancestors who were members of the Organization, others come from special training groups designed to channel talents into the Organization, and a very few, like you, are common folks who were spotted by Organization members during external activities and brought here for a provisional assessment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°This town is just a temporary transit point, in [three days] members of the Organization will come to Green Lake Town to take you, the assessors, to the [Headquarters]. Before then, you need to stay here temporarily. I have other duties, so I won¡¯t say more.¡± After conveying the necessary information, the coachman quickly vanished from sight with his coach. ¡°I have to wait here for three days? Could it be that they want to wait until there are enough people for the assessment before heading to the Organization together?¡± Yi Chen touched the silver coins in his pocket and strode towards the Green Lake Town before him. Just as he was nearing the first building of the small town, he glimpsed three young men walking towards him out of the corner of his eye. The blond young man leading them took off his hat and held it against his chest. ¡°Hi, friend! My name is Edmund, from the Mariano family. Are you interested in joining our team? During the upcoming Organization assessment, we can support each other, and I also have some secret information about the assessment that I¡¯m willing to share.¡± Following behind blond Edmund were a strikingly beautiful woman with a feathered hat and a towering Northern European man carrying a great sword. Yi Chen noticed, that their main focus was not on him, but on the ¡®little grape¡¯ on his shoulder. For Yi Chen, who had just Transcended to this place, joining a team could indeed offer him a wealth of useful information, but it also brought some potential risks and questions. As Yi Chen hesitated slightly, a voice from ¡®little grape¡¯ came to his mind: ¡ºI¡¯m not too comfortable forming teams with strangers, the two of us are enough¡­ there¡¯s no need to mingle with them.¡» With this suggestion, Yi Chen made his decision immediately, After a slight bow, he turned and walked away without even giving his name. As Yi Chen¡¯s figure gradually disappeared into the town, Blond Edmund showed an embarrassed expression, ¡°Ah? Was I not gentlemanly enough or is there some other reason¡­ He just walked away without even turning back? Or maybe this guy is incredibly strong and simply disdains to team up with us.¡± The woman behind Edmund lightly wiped her nose and mouth with her black nails, whispering: ¡°He has a residue of ¡®the dead¡¯ on him that is difficult to eliminate, plus a bias towards dark gentleman¡¯s attire¡­ This young man must be from the Organization¡¯s sub-unit, the [Graveyard]. The thing on his shoulder must also be a product of the Graveyard. Perhaps a rare necromancer, such a strong individual would naturally not accept an invitation. Moreover, our staying with him might result in us being treated as corpses.¡± Edmund spread his hands, ¡°Ah, what a pity~ But since we are in the same batch for the assessment, we¡¯ll probably meet him later. I really want to see what the Graveyard¡¯s standards are like.¡± ¡­ In Green Lake Town, Yi Chen walked down the spacious main road, and although the townspeople here also wore masks, there was no sense of dead silence. Those active outside were relatively numerous and would even greet each other proactively. When they saw an outsider like Yi Chen, they would slightly tilt their heads in a friendly manner. However, this cozy and pleasant town did not bring a genuine sense of comfort; as the walk went on and as he delved deeper into the town, his anxiety increasingly grew. When this agitation reached a certain limit, Yi Chen suddenly tilted his head. What caught his eye was a building with an aura of age, maintaining a medieval style, a two-storied structure, with a wooden sign hanging by a metal frame in front of the door, severely eroded by rainwater, its words barely legible. [Green Shadows Inn] Intuition told him that this inn was significant. Perhaps there was something there, perhaps related to the town¡¯s secrets, ¡°The feeling Green Lake Town gives, it¡¯s not as comfortable as it seems from the outside¡­ The longer I walk in the streets, the more uncomfortable I become. I would even prefer patrolling a graveyard. This town feels off, and the inn before me stands out even more, Is it possible¡­ that the assessment has already begun? Little Grape, could you hide for a while?¡± Following Yi Chen¡¯s request, Little Grape rolled into his collar, burying more than half of its body within the skin, completely concealing itself beneath his clothing. He resolutely stepped into the inn. Ring! The doorbell chimed as the door opened. A relatively strong scent of incense wafted towards him, Black leather shoes stepped on the wooden plank flooring of the inn, creaking~ The windows along the hallway were all sealed with wooden bars and labeled with ¡®Under Repair¡¯, Unevenly set white candles placed along the hallways flickered weakly, replacing sunlight. A man nearing thirty stood behind the counter, examining a dead fish specimen. His swollen eyebags compressed his lifeless, small eyes, casting a quick glance at the young man who entered before quickly averting them. He was also holding a brown bottle of liquor, almost empty, not turning around until Yi Chen approached the counter. He squeezed out a few unclear words in the local language from his yellow-toothed mouth: ¡°Are you looking for a room?¡± Accompanied by a distinctly unique breath, it smelled as if a mouse had crept into a stomach and then, after getting drunk, drowned in it. ¡°Are there any rooms available?¡± ¡°There are rooms everywhere; it¡¯s just that many have not been cleaned¡­ One silver coin per day. If you want to stay, just pick a key.¡± The owner put down the bottle, and tossed a bunch of rust-stained keys onto the counter. [0206] Yi Chen deposited a silver coin, deliberately selecting a key corresponding to a guest room on the second floor. Not only could he use this as a chance to explore the second floor of the inn, he could also gain a decent vantage point, from which he could observe the situation around the town during the day. He ascended the loose staircase to the second floor, sidestepping past a moldy mattress piled up at the corner of the stairs. The printed wallpaper in the hallway was also largely peeling off, damp and moldy. This kind of inn naturally had no guests, and Yi Chen was probably the only guest for the month. Creak creak~ As he stepped on the constantly groaning floor and arrived in front of the room door, a feeling of unease drew Yi Chen¡¯s gaze toward the end of the second-floor corridor, ¡°What is that¡­¡± On the right at the end, the wooden door of room [0213] was adorned with seven different types of padlocks. And there were also several blotches of black mold the size of pancake scattered across the door, as if it were diseased. As Yi Chen stared fixedly, a faint flicker of light flashed by his face, and when he turned his head, a pale human face suddenly appeared in front of his eyes. Startled, Yi Chen instinctively reached towards his waist, preparing to pull out the silver axe from within the graveyard. However, the figure was just the innkeeper from earlier, the candlelight making his already weak complexion even paler. ¡°Oh right¡­ I forgot to tell you. I have a gravely ill sister living in the room at the end. Normally, stay away, she¡¯s quite afraid of strangers.¡± Having said this, the owner turned around and hunched his body, heading downstairs. His frail body floated lightly, making no sound at all as it stepped on the floor. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 The Rules in the Town Chapter 13: Chapter 13 The Rules in the Town Several kilometers away from Green Lake Town, at the edge of a small hill. A group of ¡®gentlemen¡¯ in sharp suits was observing the situation within the town through various means. One of them, an uncle with a prominent belly and a receding hairline, quietly appraised, ¡°It seems that many well-known family clans are participating in this month¡¯s assessment, setting it in Green Lake Town¡ªcould it be too harsh¡­ If the risk is too high, we could lose valuable talents.¡± At that moment, an old man with white hair, with an owl perched on his shoulder and his hands clasped behind his back, replied, ¡°I would rather raise the screening threshold than waste resources on those who can¡¯t handle crises. The population in the city is fast approaching its limit. ¡®Skin¡¯ supply started to decline several months ago. If this continues, the organization will struggle to effectively cultivate gentlemen, and the internal balance will be disrupted. If Teacher Sman is dissatisfied with this, he is free to propose his concerns to the higher-ups.¡± The chubby Teacher Sman quickly raised his hand in apology, ¡°Professor Qian Bosen, I was just making an objective evaluation. I have no objections to your choice of location for the assessment. If dangers arise that far exceed the level of the assessment, I hope all present here will suppress it at the earliest opportunity.¡± ¡°That is inevitable.¡± Just then, the white-haired elder noticed a distinctive young man who had chosen not to team up but instead to walk alone through the streets of the town. His somewhat somber attire and the flesh ball rooted in his shoulder were quite noticeable. ¡°Teacher Sman, this youth doesn¡¯t seem to be recorded on the list of assessment candidates. He also doesn¡¯t seem to bear any clear signs of family or school affiliation.¡± Teacher Sman, responsible for personnel, turned his gaze toward Yi Chen. ¡°Oh! Indeed, it is an unfamiliar face. He must be the candidate who was added to the assessment at the last minute today. The referrer is the person in charge of the Seven-Day Cemetery¡ªWilbert Astorga. The invitation was sent by a raven from among the graves, requesting participation in this month¡¯s assessment.¡± Upon hearing this name, Qian Bosen seemed to fall into a memory, ¡°Wilbert¡­ that kid is quite solitary, hardly had any friends during his studies, always kept to himself. In the end, he managed to win the right to establish a cemetery with his own strength and lives alone. For someone like him to recommend a talent to the organization.¡± As the two chatted, the other gentlemen also took notice of this solitary young man, particularly the unnatural inn he deliberately chose. ¡°Without ¡®Skin¡¯ ornaments, and solely relying on the senses of an average person, he¡¯s already detected the anomalies in the town and is approaching danger? This young man is quite interesting.¡± White-haired Qian Bosen, as the temporary person in charge of this evaluation, had originally come here with just a task-oriented attitude. But this youth from the cemetery has piqued his interest. ¡­ Green Shadows Inn Yi Chen held an aluminum slab-shaped key in his hand, engraved with [#0206] Aimed at the lock filled with mottled scratches, the internal mechanism emitted the sound of matching gears unlocking, Creak~ the door swung open. The carpet, patterned with diamonds, covered the floor of the room; the dust was firmly trapped in the fibers of the carpet, making it look passably clean on the surface. The modestly sized guest room featured a 1.5-meter-wide wooden bed, with dark bedding trying its best to conceal any stains left by the previous guest. The tall glass window was plastered over with newspapers headlined ¡®Green Lake Town,¡¯ preventing sunlight from entering. A wooden coat stand by the window still held a piece of clothing, as if the last occupant had left in too much of a hurry to take it with them¡­ or rather, had never left at all. Drip~ The sound of water dripping continuously came from the bathroom to the right of the entrance, Upon inspection, it was just a leaky showerhead, leaving the entire bathroom covered in a layer of water stains, damp and cold. ¡°Sigh¡­ Let¡¯s rest for a bit.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t mind and plopped down on the edge of the soft bed. He casually picked up the ¡°Green Lake Town Promotional Pamphlet¡± from the nightstand. A map of Green Lake Town was drawn on it, with the entire town built around a lake, forming an inverted ¡°L¡± shape. The most bustling town center was located at the intersection of the streets. The back of the pamphlet also listed some benefits for tourists. 1. Green Lake Town provides a free boat service daily from 13:00 to 17:00, available to all visitors. *Do not exceed more than one boat ride per day, *There will be no service at night, and if you receive an invitation for a boat ride at night, please refuse immediately and report to the Public Security Bureau in the town center. 2. Green Lake Town provides tourists daily with ¡°Natural Green Water¡± sourced from the deep springs of the lake, which can remove impurities from the body and improve physical constitution. *Green Lake is the lifeblood of the town, wastage is not tolerated, and once you accept the green water, you must drink it all. *The staff providing the green water will definitely be dressed in green uniforms, please refuse any green water offered by others. 3. Green Lake Town holds a bonfire party nightly in the town center, offering delicious local foods for free. *All party attendees or passersby must wear masks. *During the party, if you find anyone not wearing a mask, move away immediately and report to the Public Security Bureau. *The party will absolutely, never be held outside the town center. Yi Chen stared at the text on the promotional pamphlet with a serious face, muttering to himself, ¡°These things are somewhat similar to the employee handbook of the cemetery; they are both something akin to ¡®Rules¡¯¡­ Breaking them might bring about rather dire consequences. Are such rule-like things common in this world? Moreover, the ¡®Rules¡¯ on the pamphlet only involve the superficial aspect of the town, they¡¯re quite broad. It does not mention some details about the insides of the town, like this inn I¡¯m currently at¡­¡± Just then, a sense of wriggling passed through Yi Chen, and a furry black ball crawled out through his sleeve, landing firmly on the bed. It opened its big mouth filled with white teeth, making an amalgamated strange noise. ¡°¡®Rules¡¯ are set by you humans to diminish, avoid pathology, and evade danger. Pathogens hidden in this world can spread through any channel, in any form, they can also manifest into some kind of entity, influencing and invading individuals through certain interactions. If actions are taken according to certain rules, it¡¯s possible to reduce the likelihood of pathology and the chance of dangerous events occurring. It¡¯s only a reduction, though, not a complete prevention, eradicating dangers still relies on more forceful methods. That¡¯s about it¡­ After all, my memory comes from the 6th grave of the Seven-Day Cemetery, obtained by integrating brain fragments, so I don¡¯t know much.¡± ¡°Who discovered these rules?¡± ¡°It must have been some prophet among your humans or some gentlemen with the ability of foreknowledge, I suppose? I¡¯m not too clear on that, heh.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a matter for later. First, let¡¯s start investigating the inn at hand. Try to figure out the pathological problems that exist in the town.¡± As he said this, the eyeball of the little grape rolled to its tooth gap, saying excitedly, ¡°Hmm¡­ I can feel a rather severe pathology unfolding in this inn, and deeper within this town must lurk even greater threats¡­ There might be big grapes to eat~ Be careful, you don¡¯t want to die.¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Lakeside Stroll Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Lakeside Stroll ¡°` As evening had fallen, the free boat ride event had ended, and we would have to wait until tomorrow. The sun, obscured by a thin fog, descended down the slope as night enveloped the town. Yi Chen walked over to the window, and swiftly tore off the newspapers plastering it. His gaze followed the street towards the town center, where he could clearly see the light emitted by a giant bonfire. Townspeople and travelers alike donned masks, making their way to participate in the bonfire evening. The bustling crowd, each holding candles or carrying oil lamps, illuminated the town of Green Lake just as the night began. Among them were also the group that invited Yi Chen to form a team, wearing masks of various styles and concealing weapons. ¡°It seems most people coming for the assessment have chosen to participate in tonight¡¯s bonfire event¡­ Little Grape, let¡¯s go check it out too~ We might discover more information.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, maybe there will be delicious grapes.¡± Before setting out, Little Grape conscientiously burrowed into his body, ready to appear when needed. Who knew, just as Yi Chen pushed the door to leave, the haggard-looking landlady happened to pass by the door, noteworthy was, she was carrying a plate of ¡®raw fish cuisine,¡¯ apparently heading towards a room at the end of the hallway. The so-called raw fish was an entire unprocessed dead fish on a plate, rotting and foul-smelling. Their eyes met, and with one hand holding the plate, the landlady placed her index finger to her lips with the other. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she softly warned: ¡°This town has long since violated the ¡®Rule¡¯ and is rotten to the core. To survive, just stay in your room and don¡¯t attend the bonfire evening wrapped in a glamorous facade. Leave quietly first thing tomorrow¡­¡± These words caused Yi Chen to frown slightly, Clearly, the landlady knew some secrets about the town. Yi Chen also lowered his voice and quietly replied: ¡°For some special reasons, I need to stay in Green Lake Town for three days.¡± ¡°Three days¡­ Hardly any visitors can stay that long and leave normally. Even if you stay in my inn and never step out¡­ there will be problems too. Just tonight¡¯s bonfire event alone can bind many outsiders and the town together forever. Looking at your attire, you must be here for an investigation, right?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°If you really want to find out something, you can take a walk by the lakeshore tonight, you might discover something. Remember. Do not participate in any events hosted by this town, do not drink any source of water¡­ Any interaction with Green Lake Town will thicken the ¡®ties¡¯ that bind you to it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The landlady said no more, walking with nearly silent steps towards the end of the corridor, placing the plate of food in front of her ¡®sister¡¯s door, without even a sound as the plate touched the ground. Yi Chen had finally noticed that the landlady¡¯s ¡®silent trait¡¯ was not bizarre. But for two reasons, first, she had lived in the inn since she was little, treading the floor thousands of times and knew exactly where to step to make no noise. Secondly, it was due to her care for her sister, creating a silent environment to avoid disturbing her as much as possible. ¡°Since I¡¯ll be here for three more days, there will be plenty of opportunities to talk more with the landlady¡­ There¡¯s no need to rush into asking about her ¡®sister¡¯ or about the town¡¯s affairs. I should follow the landlady¡¯s suggestion and take a look around the lakeshore.¡± ¡­ Not long after Yi Chen left, rustling sounds came from the locked room at the end of the second floor, Click~ A hidden compartment, just big enough for a head, remained at the bottom of the locked door. It was now opened from the inside. First, a stench-filled liquid oozed out~ Then, an arm covered in fish scales suddenly reached out, grabbing the dead fish from the plate. Crunch crunch~ A series of strange gnawing sounds came from inside the door. ¡­ [Green Lake Lakeshore] The sky was filled with a pathological mist, blocking out any light from the moon or stars. As the sun set, it was like drawing a curtain over the world, instantly plunging it into darkness. Also, because of the bonfire event, over 90% of the townspeople were gathered there, leaving the lakeshore exceptionally quiet, altogether engulfed in darkness. Yi Chen wrapped his body entirely in a black coat, with the hood covering his face, treading on fine pebbles, wandering amidst the damp soil. Once again, the oil lamp became the sole source of light. ¡°` The small grape hidden in his sleeve was also peering ahead, walking along the lake shore for over ten minutes without seeing a soul, the fog settled on the surface of the lake also blocked any creatures from peering at Green Lake, even Yi Chen, with his enhanced vision, was limited. Besides, every ten meters along the shore stood a warning sign. [No Swimming] [Do Not Collect Water Privately] [All contact with Green Lake is Forbidden] ¡°This lake is quite large¡­¡± While he was reflecting, a small boat slowly emerged from the lake¡¯s fog and headed towards Yi Chen¡¯s position. A man in a blue work uniform was standing at the edge of the boat, waving with a smile. ¡°We are currently offering a free boat ride service, would you like to tour Green Lake?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Yi Chen waved his hand to refuse and turned to leave without looking back. As he moved away from the boat, the grape quietly moved to the back of his neck, peeking out with half an eye to observe the situation behind him. The refused worker did not follow. Instead, he maintained an extremely exaggerated and discordant smile, his bulging eyeballs as if they were about to fall out of their sockets, completely unblinking, this eerie sensation made Yi Chen quicken his pace until he completely left it behind and then he finally relaxed a little. ¡°So there is a night boat after all, the problems with this town are indeed quite serious¡­ Let¡¯s check the lake water.¡± Confirming that no other boats were coming, Yi Chen stepped on the gravel, drawing close to the shore¡­ and stretched his right hand toward the tranquil lake water. Just as he was about to touch it, his fingers stopped. Creak, creak~ The skin at the tip of his fingers split longitudinally, growing a slender root tendril with the scent of a graveyard. This was one of the ¡°Pathological Traits¡± Yi Chen had acquired, discovered during the boring time riding in the carriage. Although he couldn¡¯t use roots as ¡®appendages¡¯ like the living dead, nor pierce like a spear¡­ basic growth was not a problem. The root tendril that touched the lake water became even more plump. The lake water absorbed by the root did not enter his body¡¯s cycle but was merely stored between the root segments. After collecting the ¡®lake water sample¡¯, Yi Chen tried to fully activate the ¡°Pathological Trait,¡± allowing the root at his fingertip to continue to grow, aiming to reach the deep parts of the lake. Five meters, Ten meters, just as he was about to reach the growth limit, the tip of the root suddenly felt a soft sensation, as if it had touched some living thing. At that moment, a burst of light came from behind, accompanied by a stern questioning. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Yi Chen quickly retracted his root and turned around, pretending nothing was amiss. The man was in uniform, resembling a middle-aged Sheriff. Yi Chen put on an innocent face and explained, ¡°I just arrived at Green Lake Town today, and feeling bored in the inn, I came out for a walk. I don¡¯t really like crowded places, so I didn¡¯t join the bonfire party.¡± The man did not respond, but showed his Sheriff¡¯s badge and then stepped forward to search Yi Chen, After a thorough search of the body, nothing was found that proved any water collection or contact with the lake, he thought that would be the end of it. However, at the end of the search, the Sheriff¡¯s hand also fell naturally on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, and with force, he pushed! With such an unexpected move, most people wouldn¡¯t react in time. But¡­ Yi Chen had sensed something was wrong from the start, his mind remained highly focused, as his body leaned back, he grabbed the Sheriff¡¯s collar. Borrowing power, he exerted strength, at that instant, he could even feel the cooperative action of his arm¡¯s muscle fibers and the plant¡¯s vascular bundles, directly throwing the other into the lake, as he completed the throw, a root tendril shot out from between his palms, rooting in the shore to stabilize his body. Splash! A huge splash arose four meters away in the lake, the sinking Sheriff seemed to be restricted by something, didn¡¯t struggle, and quickly sank. Yi Chen steadied his mind, acting as if nothing had happened, and quickly returned to the inn. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Disturbance Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Disturbance Ding! The doorbell rang. The owner, who was fiddling with a dead fish specimen, looked up at the young man entering, and in the dull, lightless pupils, a hint of surprise flashed, as if it was unexpected that Yi Chen had managed to return ¡°unharmed,¡± but a faint smile also crossed his lips. ¡°You seem to have found something by the lake.¡± ¡°Ran into some trouble, but it¡¯s been taken care of.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The owner went back to working on the specimen, not asking anything further. Click¡ªback in the room, he locked the door. He took out a glass from the bathroom, poured the lake water stored in the roots into it, and as the roots squeezed out the water, Yi Chen recalled his chilling experience by the lake. ¡°That sheriff¡­¡± Although he had managed to fight back with ease, Yi Chen¡¯s eyes captured an unsettling image that made his skin crawl. When grappling with the sheriff¡¯s collar, his chest exposed a mass of fish scales, flesh, and slimy fluid, so densely packed that even Yi Chen¡¯s fingers got some of the goo on them. Such a sight instinctively provoked a sense of repulsion. ¡°Fish scale-like skin, a pathological characteristic?¡± At that moment, the little grape squeezed out of the neckline, volunteering some explanations. ¡°The ¡®diversity¡¯ of pathological symptoms is beyond imagination, and this fish-scale type of pathology is quite common in seas, rivers, and large lake areas like this. Don¡¯t worry, the plants inside you will form a protective layer, and skin-level contact won¡¯t infect you. But if you accidentally get a cut, then there¡¯s a risk¡­ Remember to use an axe next time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Setting aside the matter of the sheriff, he picked up the glass filled with lake water and held it up to the kerosene lamp. [Visual Enhancement] His eyes, like high-definition imagers, scanned the water quality, magnifying the visuals manifold to reveal terrifying scenes invisible to the normal eye. ¡°Is this¡­ some kind of parasite?¡± Swarms of parasites were floating in the water in large numbers. Moreover, just a dozen seconds after the lake water was poured into the glass, these parasites had already started to lay eggs en masse on the sides of the glass. The transparent egg bodies could refract a faint green light, perhaps that¡¯s the origin of Green Lake¡¯s name. ¡°Maybe the owner¡¯s warning not to engage in ¡®interactive behavior¡¯ with the town is for this reason? However, the plants growing inside and outside the town seem normal, without any signs of pathology. Even the roots used to store the lake water have not been affected¡­ which means these parasites are ineffective on ¡®plants.¡¯ This is something I must make good use of.¡± As Yi Chen was analyzing softly to himself, the little grape jumped off his shoulder, lifted the glass with its powerless and soft black arm, and gulped it down in one shot. This scene startled Yi Chen. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The little grape gently swung its three-fingered arm, signaling not to worry. ¡°Observation with the naked eye always has its limitations, directly consuming them allows for a more direct and detailed experience through the body. Rest assured~ I¡¯m a pathological being myself, this thing can¡¯t infect me.¡± ¡°Did you find any useful information?¡± ¡°Hmm~ These little things that depend on a water source are obviously controlled by some [conscious entity]¡­ They even tried to send a signal the moment I swallowed them, but unfortunately, my body isn¡¯t that easy to penetrate. Shall we try to find the entity? Perhaps we could get a rather nice ¡®big grape.¡¯ ¡°No rush, we need to take this slowly.¡± ¡°True¡­ With your current abilities and me still not mature enough, even if we find the [entity], we may not be able to kill it smoothly. We need to plan this out well. I¡¯m tired~ I¡¯m going to rest.¡± With the conversation over, Little Grape buried most of its body into Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, revealing only a small patch of black fur. Shortly afterward, the bonfire party at the town center also came to a close. Yi Chen leaned against the window, observing the tourists and residents on the street as they gradually returned to their own homes, with no untoward incidents occurring¡­ at least not overtly. Thoughts swirled and intertwined in his brain. ¡°According to the innkeeper, three days will be hard to achieve. That is to say, the longer the tourists stay, the stronger Green Lake Town¡¯s ¡®occupying¡¯ desire will become. When that time comes, the personnel participating in the assessment will inevitably erupt in massive conflicts with the town¡¯s pathological forces. Mustn¡¯t rush. This town still harbors many potential dangers. The only thing needed today is to rest well,¡± he concluded. After ensuring the house was sealed up tightly, he collapsed onto the pillow and fell asleep directly. ¡­ Green Lake Town ¨C Center Street As the bonfire party ended, the whole street fell silent, but in some dark corners, faint noises still lingered. Deep in an alleyway, the trio that had previously tried to invite Yi Chen to join them was here carrying out ¡®disease removal.¡¯ During the festival, they had accepted an invitation from a ¡®man without a mask¡¯ to the depths of the alley, where they were ambushed. At present. Blond Edmund¡¯s face was full of killing intent, his eyes bloodshot. He held a short sword in one hand and a pistol decorated with the Mariano family¡¯s ¡®Feather Decoration¡¯ in the other. Whoosh! The thin sword was drawn, its blade still dripping with pus residue. Collapsed in front of him was a man with scaled skin, his brain¡¯s pathogen pierced by the short sword¡­ Edmund didn¡¯t even need to pull the trigger of the gun; he resolved the situation single-handedly with the sword. Similarly, his two companions each killed a sick person as well. The woman beside him wiped her silver dagger with a cloth she carried, whispering softly, ¡°It seems the town is key to the assessment. To pass the organization¡¯s examination, we will likely need to find the disease root or make a sizable contribution to ¡®disease removal.¡¯ Judging from the party, the Mayor with the golden demon mask and the Security Bureau are highly suspect.¡± Blond Edmund adjusted his clothes, ¡°No rush¡­ we still have more than two days. Since we attended the party today, we¡¯ll experience the free lake tour tomorrow and grasp the situation before making the final move. I can¡¯t wait to obtain the organization¡¯s ¡®Skin.¡¯ ¡­ Apart from this team. The other personnel participating in the assessment also discovered abnormalities, eliminating or even capturing and interrogating the town¡¯s sick residents in different areas. A large number of death messages spread within the town, and the residents staying at home grew increasingly irritable and agitated, incessantly scratching the scales hidden under their clothes or pretending to hack at the furniture. Similarly. Abnormalities were also detected at the Green Shadows Inn where Yi Chen was staying. An arm covered in scales reached out from a hidden compartment beneath the door, possibly due to mutations brought by the pathology, the arm¡¯s length and flexibility were slowly transcending human parameters, extending nearly two meters, and then twisting at an unnatural joint to fold upward¡­ Crack! The padlocks on the door successively fell off, the cuts were smooth with mucus on them, and what¡¯s more terrifying, each lock that was cut was caught before it hit the ground, making no sound at all. Creak~ A door that hadn¡¯t opened in months was slowly being pushed open. A dark figure crawled out from the top, long, unkempt hair hanging from the ceiling down to the floor, lightly dragging along as if sweeping, making a soft rustling sound¡­ Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Night Visitor Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Night Visitor [Green Shadows Inn] Due to years of neglect and lack of maintenance, the entire inn had only one guest, Yi Chen. However, Yi Chen didn¡¯t mind the dirt and disorder; he had lived in even worse conditions at the orphanage¡­ Even if the damp bedding mingled with a peculiar smell, it still didn¡¯t affect his sleep. However, his first night¡¯s sleep was not particularly smooth. It wasn¡¯t that Yi Chen himself had trouble sleeping, but rather a series of slight noises from outside the room caused the plants inside his body to become active, stimulating his brain and pulling him from a deep sleep back to reality. When he opened his eyes, he saw tender green shoots floating on the surface of his arm. ¡°Are the plants inside me giving a warning?¡± Just then, Squeak~ a faint scraping sound of wooden boards came from outside the door, clearly not made by the innkeeper. ¡°There¡¯s only me staying in the entire inn, there are two possibilities for such a sound, one is the ¡®Sister¡¯ confined in the farthest room, and one is an uninvited guest coming from outside the inn.¡± Thinking about pushing the sheriff into the lake, it was quite possible he would encounter trouble. However, Yi Chen had no intention of getting up, but instead hid the Silver Axe under the covers and pretended to sleep. Rushing out of the room to check could likely result in being trapped in the inn. Conversely, this enclosed and familiar guest room, along with the window that led directly outside, were both usable. Although the sounds in the hallway were faint, they could be distinctly heard in the quiet of the night, resembling something sharp scraping against the wooden floor. Soon, these moving sounds stopped before the door and were replaced by a metallic sound similar to picking a lock. Click~ The old door lock was easily opened. A silhouette with feminine curves stood outside, she slid her slender fingers into her mouth, coated them with the slick saliva on her tongue, and then smeared it on the surface of the rusty door hinges. The amount of saliva was substantial and dripped down the hinges to the floor. Once the hinges were fully lubricated, the door was slowly pushed open without making any noise, As soon as she stepped inside, the silhouette flipped up, climbing the ceiling like a gecko¡­ The mucus covering her body seemed to easily provide the necessary adhesion to the walls. In an instant, she had crawled from the doorway to the top end of Yi Chen¡¯s bed, her eyes like black crystals staring at this strange guest in the room, her dangling black hair fell beside the young man¡¯s face, remaining still. Perhaps it was affection for his handsome face, or perhaps she was simply hungry, Drip~ a drop of saliva landed precisely on the bedding covering Yi Chen¡¯s neck. This stare continued for a full five minutes. It was almost certain that the young man on the bed was completely asleep, the silhouette continued to move, crawling from the ceiling to the vertical wall above the head of the bed, getting closer to the sleeping young man. When she was a meter away, a tongue longer than normal extended from her mouth, gently licking the young man¡¯s face. At the same moment, Yi Chen had grasped the Silver Axe firmly, steadying his mind. ¡°Wait! This is not the best time yet.¡± If the target came any closer or made any harmful move, he would instantly open his eyes and decapitate her with one strike. After a bout of licking, the silhouette seemed inclined to climb down further, Yi Chen¡¯s moment of opportunity was about to arrive, Clack! A burst of footsteps suddenly broke the tension, accompanied by the innkeeper¡¯s voice, trying to keep as quiet as possible. ¡°Cathy, stop now! This is one of our few guests; don¡¯t disturb his rest¡­ Just live as usual unless you get a clear directive. If you¡¯re hungry, I¡¯ll bring you a fish later.¡± The low reproach made the silhouette pause, no longer harboring thoughts about the young man on the bed, she slowly moved upward, like a child who had done something wrong, bowing her head and crawling back to the doorway. By the time his sister had completely left the dormitory, the boss still stood at the doorway, staring intently at the sleeping Yi Chen as if to confirm something¡­ About a minute passed before he gently closed the door. Click~ Hearing the sound of the door locking, the tension in his chest released in a sharp exhale, his palms sweaty from gripping the axe handle. ¡°What in the world¡­¡± At that moment, a tingling sensation spread across the cheek that had been licked, and to his touch, patchy fish scales had formed. Yi Chen wasn¡¯t in a hurry, and waited a while before quietly heading to the bathroom. In the mirror, small shimmering scales had scattered across both sides of his cheeks, showing tendencies of further growth and spreading. Just as Yi Chen was contemplating how to handle it, whether to forcefully pull them out, Crackle, crackle~ Delicate plant sprouts grew from beneath the skin of his cheeks, pushing out the embedded fish scales and causing them to fall away. ¡°Hmm? Is my ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯ rejecting an external infection?¡± Just then, a little grape peeked out from his shoulder, evaluating the recent events in the room: ¡°Very strange~ To leave without attacking you. Such ¡®Parasitic Pathologies¡¯ are supposed to lack ¡®Self-awareness¡¯, let alone when the target is right before them¡­ It¡¯s unusual that they can restrain themselves from infecting living creatures by relying on conscious thought. This pair of siblings from the inn seem quite special. Their ¡®grapes¡¯ might taste very good.¡± Without saying much, Yi Chen made sure all the fish scales had fallen off his face before returning to bed. Contemplating the recent events, he unknowingly fell asleep again. ¡­ Thunk thunk thunk! A series of knocks awakened Yi Chen, and by now, it was the next day, with sunlight streaming through the window onto his body. Dragging his groggy mind, he opened the door, to find the innkeeper, who was holding a fully cooked fish that, though not particularly appealing, was very fragrant. ¡°This is complimentary lunch. Just to remind you, it¡¯s almost noon. If you are really here to investigate, you¡¯d better hurry up.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Taking the lunch, Yi Chen chose to feed the fish¡¯s eyes to the little grape first. ¡°This fish is ¡®clean¡¯, just eat it.¡± Only after getting a report from the little grape, did he dare to eat it. Once a full stomach set in, and he had changed into a stunning outfit, it was already the early afternoon. At this time, the Green Lake area was offering free boating activities for tourists. When Yi Chen arrived at the lakeshore, the place was already bustling with locals and tourists alike. ¡°Is it really this lively¡­ It seems everyone is actively investigating the town¡¯s secrets.¡± The boating dock was lining up in long queues, and Yi Chen had no choice but to stand at the end of the line. Who knew, a familiar voice came from behind him, ¡°Oh dear, are we late? There are already so many people queueing¡­ Oh, what a coincidence?¡± Blond Edmund, and his two teammates had also arrived at that moment. ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen responded faintly, not even turning his head. Edmund did not cause any trouble or force a conversation, merely chatting leisurely with his companions during the lineup. Another detail, towards some tourists returning from their boat trips, Edmund actively approached them, engaging in handshakes or putting his arm around them as a form of physical contact. These seemingly ordinary actions, were actually his way of checking if the tourists were infected, to assess the risks associated with the boat rides. When Edmund returned to the line, he mentioned in a low voice, purposely letting Yi Chen hear, ¡°The boating seems safe, enjoy it without worry.¡± Coincidentally, the boat¡¯s capacity was for four people, and it so happened that it was their turn. Yi Chen was forced to board a pedal-operated small boat with this group, its body painted simply with white, and aboard was a man in a green uniform and rubber boots, with a vacant look in his eyes¡­ He wasn¡¯t the same person Yi Chen had seen the previous night. ¡°Before we set off, please remember four things. 1. Everyone must participate in pedaling the footboard. 2. If during the boating you hear shouts that don¡¯t come from among the passengers, do not respond in any way. 3. Do not touch the lake water under any circumstances. 4. If someone falls into the water, the boat will not provide rescue and will quickly move away.¡± Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Fright on the Lake Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Fright on the Lake Even during the day, the lake surface was shrouded in thick fog, making it impossible to see the other side, let alone reach the center of the lake. This old-fashioned pedal boat was very laborious to operate; every rotation of the axle produced a harsh friction sound, and the pedaling sensation transmitted to the legs made one feel as though they were trapped in quicksand, As the boat gradually moved deeper into the lake, everyone felt increasingly overcome by the enormity of Green Lake¡­ it was like a vast mouth that could swallow intruders at any moment. On the boat sat a man with a huge physique and carrying a great sword, and a woman wearing a hat decorated with feathers, seated in the front, while Yi Chen and Blond Edmund sat side by side in the back. The staff member sat facing the boat¡¯s bow, with wide eyes fixedly watching the four, particularly their pedaling, giving off a vibe of supervising slaves. ¡°Although those passengers before us didn¡¯t encounter any trouble, this lake always gives me a very bad feeling¡ªif something goes wrong midway, we may need to cooperate involuntarily. Let¡¯s introduce ourselves again, I am Edmund, from the Mariano family.¡± He continued introducing his two companions, patting the broad back muscles of the man in front, ¡°This is Dagbert, a formidable man from the Northern Realm. This physique is partly inherited and partly sculpted by the harsh cold¡­ He is definitely a gentleman of strength in the making. And this lovely lady is Juliana, a good friend I met at the training ground.¡± ¡°William.¡± Yi Chen quietly announced the name of his body¡¯s original owner, then continued: ¡°Also, I don¡¯t recommend chatting here¡­¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± With introductions over, everyone focused their attention on the lake, due to the potential pathological risks and boating rules, everyone behaved very modestly, refraining from touching the water and merely observing the lake with their eyes. As Yi Chen stared at the lake surface for a prolonged time, he unexpectedly sensed a peering sensation coming from deep beneath the lake¡­ as if something terrifying at the bottom was watching him. When this feeling was conveyed to Little Grape, it secreted a large amount of saliva. ¡°There seems to be something delicious down there!¡± While everyone was observing and alert to the happenings around the lake. Crack~ The pedal boat suddenly jammed as if something had entangled the main paddle. ¡°Seaweed? Or some other debris?¡± Considering the unknown danger, Yi Chen did not rashly stick his head out to inspect the surface of the water, but extended his right arm, using Little Grape hidden in his sleeve to observe the situation under the boat. Through the relatively clear lake water, a large amount of unsettling things were revealed¡ªhair. Thick black hair entwined around the paddle, and beneath the hair was a corresponding bloated corpse. After briefly explaining the situation, the three members of Edmund¡¯s group also became alert, one of their hands already gripping a weapon Just then, the staff member, who had been staring blankly and unblinkingly the whole time, instinctively performed his duty. He donned a pair of plastic gloves that reached up to his elbows and leaned halfway out of the stern to start clearing the entanglements on the paddle. Seeing this, Yi Chen and Edmund, sitting in the back, also grabbed the young man¡¯s clothes to prevent him from accidentally falling into the lake. Just as the strands of black hair were being pulled out and everyone was about to get free, the staff member¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, and a force beyond imagination came into play¡­ so powerful~ Hiss! Only torn shreds of fabric remained in the hands of Yi Chen and Edmund, and the staff member instantly fell into the water, disappearing without a trace. Crack! Blond Edmund switched from his usual friendly demeanor, his eyes resolute, while snapping his fingers, everyone on alert, cautiously watching all around, yet, the tranquil surface of the lake temporarily revealed no terrifying thing. Drops of sweat slid down Edmund¡¯s forehead as he awkwardly said: ¡°It¡¯s strange, previous tourists never had any issues, but trouble happened when it came to us¡­ Is it coincidence? Or has someone among us been targeted by something in the lake?¡± This remark immediately reminded Yi Chen of his lakeside walk the previous night, and the accidental act of throwing the ¡®Sheriff¡¯ into the lake. However, Edmund soon confessed on his own, ¡°The three of us killed several pathological individuals from the town after the party last night, which might have angered the presence behind them. I¡¯m sorry to have inadvertently involved you, William.¡± Yi Chen responded coldly: ¡°Think about how to get out of this lake.¡± Half of the black hair still remained entangled around the paddle, and if they continued cleaning, they might be dragged down as well. At this moment, Dagbert from the Northern Realm volunteered to stand up, his hefty great sword was perfectly suitable as a makeshift paddle, and he had experience rowing back when he lived in the Northern Realm. The great sword plunged into the lake, alternating from left to right, propelling the boat forward at a speed more than twice that of before with just one person¡¯s power. It is worth noting that, the black hair tangled around the paddle, along with the corpse, was dragged along, creating a somewhat eerie scene. However, the danger had not been eliminated, the large ripples caused by the motion of the great sword seemed to awaken something slumbering at the bottom of the lake, and as waves rippled out, some black silhouettes about the size of a human body became faintly visible under the water¡­ They swayed their soft, elongated bodies as they approached the boat. Seeing this, Edmund gently patted his companion¡¯s muscular shoulder, ¡°Dagbert, just keep rowing straight¡­ leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After saying this, Edmund picked up a pistol decorated with feathers in his left hand, loading a silver bullet, and gripped a silver-plated short sword in his right hand, his gaze as sharp as an eagle¡¯s sweeping the surroundings. Juliana bent over to pull a dagger from between her boots, assuming a standard combat stance as well. Yi Chen pulled out the Silver Axe from his waist, and Little Grape was mounted on his shoulder. ¡°Here they come!¡± Splash~ Water sprayed upwards! An arm covered in fish scales and embedded with shells clung to the edge of the boat. When a severely bloated head surfaced, the cold muzzle was already pressed against its scalp. Bang~ A gunshot tore through the silent veil over the lake. Red fluid spread across the surface of the water as the first troublesome merfolk sank to the bottom of the lake. After completing the kill, Edmund still found time to offer advice: ¡°To deal with these parasite types, just destroy the brain¡­ They haven¡¯t evolved into real ¡®Patients¡¯ yet, so they aren¡¯t too troublesome to handle. But keep one thing in mind, don¡¯t let them damage the boat, I really don¡¯t want to end up in this filthy, disgusting Green Lake.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, three pairs of arms stretched towards the boat from different directions, and swollen, rotting heads with protruding mouths full of sharp teeth also emerged. Blond Edmund executed a precise move with his swordsmanship, sending the short sword in his right hand into the face of his target, breaking apart its brain. Juliana swung backhand, her dagger horizontally piercing the temple of another target¡­ even faster by a notch. Compared to the two well-trained individuals, Yi Chen, this ¡®halfway convent¡¯ transmigrator, naturally fell short in many aspects. However, faced with the perilous situation in the lake, a strong desire to slay his target formed in his mind, and driven by this urge, strands of plant roots emerged from the back of his hands and palms, entwining themselves around the Hand Axe, even merging with the hickory wood handle. This made Yi Chen hold it tighter, and swing it with more force, Kill! Silver light flashed, striking precisely at the merfolk¡¯s neck. Fish scales, skin, cervical vertebra, nothing could hinder the chopping force. Whoosh! A bloated, rotting head was flung into the air, landing smack on the boat with a splat. As this head still attempted to wriggle and harm Yi Chen, a black ball of flesh leapt down from Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, instantly devouring the two ¡®grapes¡¯ of the merfolk¡¯s head and further burrowing into the eye sockets, eating the fresh sashimi inside the skull clean. As this scene unfolded, both the rower Dagbert and the other two fighters cast surprised glances towards Yi Chen, raising their estimation of him a notch higher. ¡­ As the group fought together, after killing about twenty of the mutated merfolk from the lake, the boat reached the shore. The corpse entangled around the paddle was also dragged ashore. When Yi Chen saw the appearance of this corpse, his body trembled. This corpse with thick long hair was actually the Sheriff he had thrown into the lake¡­ but in his memory, the Sheriff had short hair. It was as if the lake acted as a cultivation plate, causing any organism thrown into it to be stimulated and grow rapidly. ¡°Is it really because of me¡­¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Anatomy and Vocalizations Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Anatomy and Vocalizations Upon landing, the highly aggressive mermaids swimming around the lake voluntarily retreated, even though many of their companions had been slaughtered, they showed no intention of pursuit¡­ or rather, they currently seemed to lack the qualifications to come ashore, After several minutes of high-intensity escape, even the well-trained Edmund and his companions began to catch their breath and immediately checked their bodies for any issues. From the inner pockets of their coats, they extracted a flexible test tube, and applied the liquid from the tube onto the surface of their skin, washing off the blood and lake water they had accumulated during the battle. Edmund even proactively offered a flexible test tube to Yi Chen. ¡°William, need some?¡± ¡°No need¡­ Thank you.¡± Edmund shrugged his shoulders, naturally noticing that Yi Chen was unaffected by the water quality. ¡°It¡¯s only been one day~ and we¡¯ve already had such an incident come our way. The next two days might be tough. I reckon a batch of assessors will end up dead here.¡± While Edmund spoke these words, he cast Yi Chen a special glance, quite deliberately, However, Yi Chen turned his attention back to the retreating mermaids on the lake, while also sizing up the fully swollen corpse of the sheriff, ¡°Can I have this corpse?¡± ¡°Of course, we have no use for such a corpse¡­ After all, there are no ¡®Doctor¡¯ descendants or clinic-bred prodigies in our squad. By the way, dragging a corpse back like that, won¡¯t it look bad if someone sees you?¡± ¡°Just wait for me a moment.¡± Yi Chen jogged back toward the town streets, and within minutes, he had procured a sufficiently large burlap sack and some spare small knives, He expertly packaged the swollen corpse and dragged it off towards the inn as if taking out the trash. With Yi Chen¡¯s slightly slender and tall physique, combined with his gloomy attire, he gave off the aura of a ¡®Corpse Collector.¡¯ ¡°Hey Mr. William~ I¡¯m looking forward to our next cooperation.¡± The sunny-faced Edmund waved goodbye, Yi Chen simply carried the body on his back, haphazardly responding with his free left hand raised above his shoulder. As his figure slowly disappeared, Edmund intentionally furrowed his brows, ¡°Did you guys see that? This guy even controls a rare ¡®Plant¡¯ Pathological Trait; he could very well become a [Doctor] in the future and would definitely be highly sought after within the Organization. For this assessment, a ¡®quality skin¡¯ spot will undoubtedly be taken by William. We need to perk up now.¡± Juliana quietly commented, ¡°An air of melancholy about him, likely from a graveyard background, yet possessing the life-symbolizing plant illness¡­ What a strange fellow.¡± ¡­ However, what these people did not know was, Yi Chen was still in the state of exhilaration from having killed the enemy and escaped danger; he was merely suppressing his emotions. ¡°These guys have psychological qualities and combat foundations that are far superior to ordinary people¡­ They must have undergone extensive training, which is fundamentally different from mine. Teaming up with them might reduce risks and could yield useful information. But it would also reveal my ¡®rookie¡¯ status, and I might end up being used or even treated as bait in a moment of danger. Maintaining such a distant relationship is best.¡± Back at the inn. The proprietor was still observing the fish specimens by the counter, completely ignoring Yi Chen¡¯s return by boat. Just as he passed the counter, Slap! The proprietor suddenly placed several white candles on the tabletop and, without raising his head, said: ¡°Don¡¯t make a mess everywhere. The [scent] could affect my sister¡¯s rest. Ensure that the candles stay lit while you work.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After returning to his room and locking the door, Yi Chen placed the candles in various corners of the bathroom. As the incense-like fragrance filled the air, he officially began ¡®work.¡¯ Up next, Yi Chen needed to clarify a few things, 1. Why didn¡¯t the sheriff¡¯s corpse turn into one of those swimming ¡®mermaids¡¯ after falling into the lake, but instead died of drowning? 2. What kind of physical changes do the lake waters induce in the human body? Phew¡­ Since I¡¯ve never done this before, it¡¯s natural to feel a bit nervous. Before starting, Yi Chen placed his hands on either side of his cheeks. Hiss hiss~ Green plant sprouts extended from his fingertips, intertwining and weaving together to form a homemade plant mask. Whether it was the stench from the corpse or the scent of the candles, both were purified by the mask into fresh air. ¡°The Pathological ability is really useful¡­ According to Mr. Albert, as long as I pass the assessment, I will be able to thoroughly examine this ability by some means, and should be able to further develop it, perhaps even reaching the standards of the living dead by turning roots into spears or whiskers into legs.¡± ¡°How interesting,¡± ¡°Even if it means facing the risk of death, it¡¯s much more comfortable than being stuck in a lab writing papers day and night.¡± Having gone through these past few days, Yi Chen felt his innate nature being gradually awakened and was perfectly clear that this was the world most suited for him. Gajiji Gajiji~ Continuing to weave a pair of natural gloves from tender plant shoots, he took the sharp knives he bought from the store, and started working, perhaps owing to the innate ability that this body of ¡°William Behrens¡± possessed, he found the process of handling the ¡®corpse¡¯ remarkably smooth, almost reaching the proficiency he had with experiments during his lifetime. Immersing deeply into the task, he was filled with interest, with even the little grape being amazed by Yi Chen¡¯s level of concentration on this matter. Several hours passed unknowingly, and before his eyes, the fully dissected corpse displayed a picture that defied medical logic, with slimy body cavities, various organs shifted in position, and surfaces of the cavities and organs sticking to one another, The ribs had become slender, sharp, and grew extra bone spur branches, scattered throughout the blood and flesh. But some parts still maintained the original human structure, this change was not complete¡­ it seemed like an ¡®evolution failure¡¯. A clue that could touch upon the root of Green Lake Town¡¯s ¡°fish scale disease¡± surfaced. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, everything can be explained clearly.¡± Yi Chen was very satisfied with the results of the dissection, and even bowed in thanks to the ¡®Sheriff¡¯. Packaging the remnants, quietly dragging, digging soil and burying, once everything was taken care of, it was already midnight. ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath~¡± In the bathroom, the faucet was turned up to the max, rinsing off the residual tissue fragments and sticky fluid. At the same time, Yi Chen also took off his clothes, exposing his body to the cold water, washing away the sweat and fatigue from his skin. The reason for choosing to bathe was twofold, one, due to the battles at Green Lake today and the experience of contact with lake water, Yi Chen confirmed that his skin could resist external contamination from the lake. Two, it was necessary to attempt this, as the situation in the next two days was still uncertain, and he may fall into Green Lake for various reasons; it was essential to perform ¡®water adaptation¡¯ in advance. During the rinse, Yi Chen could clearly feel the movement of plant roots in his body, autonomously forming a defense system. ¡°No problem¡­ even if I encounter danger and fall into the lake later, I¡¯ll be able to ensure that my body isn¡¯t invaded.¡± Feeling refreshed, he quickly fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed. However, the night was still not peaceful, as Yi Chen was once again startled awake from his deep sleep, Unlike last night, this awakening was not due to plant stimulation, but because of a series of sharp, almost throat-tearing pitiful screams coming from outside the door, emanating from the ¡®sister¡¯s room¡¯ at the end of the hallway. Pushing open the room door, Yi Chen stood back against the side of the door, using the little grape hidden in the sleeve of his robe to observe, Sharing the vision that came through the window, the door at the end of the hallway was already open, intense candlelight projected from inside the room, and along with the candlelight ¡®ran out¡¯ a red liquid, cold, sticky, and smelling of blood. ¡°What is this¡­¡± After observing for a while, Yi Chen decided to take action, the kerosene lamp hanging at his waist, axe in hand, just as he was about to approach the ¡®sister¡¯s room¡¯, the innkeeper¡¯s voice came from inside, tinged with impatience. ¡°Either stay away, or come in and help.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Surgery Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Surgery Faced with the multiple-choice question posed by the boss, Yi Chen didn¡¯t hesitate a moment, he stepped forward and entered ¡°sister¡¯s room.¡± Crack~ The soles of his shoes transmitted a strange, crunchy sensation and emitted odd noises. Because his foot had directly stepped onto scales spread all over the floor. At that moment, both his sense of smell and vision simultaneously received an ¡°assault¡± from the room. It was an almost tangible foul stench, like a living stick forcefully entering Yi Chen¡¯s body, continuously hammering at his stomach. In his field of vision, piles of scales covered the floor, some had even taken root on the damp floorboards as if the room itself had sprouted the scales. If it were Yi Chen who had just arrived in this world, he would have protested against the sight in front of him by ¡°vomiting.¡± Creak creak~ His fingers pressed to the side of his face, he quickly fashioned a plant-based mask, ¡°Whew! I can finally breathe normally¡­ This place is really unsettling.¡± The voice came from the bathroom. The boss was apparently administering some kind of ¡®treatment¡¯ to his sister, a substantial amount of blood seeping from under the door. Before stepping into the bathroom, Yi Chen tilted his head toward a corner of the room, noting an important and unique detail within. In the corner was a desk made of raw wood, the walls around the desk were also covered with scales, as was the floor, yet the desk itself remained clean amid such filth, free from scales and even the damp mold. It seemed the desk was important to his sister; she must have cleaned it every day. There were a few picture frames on the desk. They included family portraits, as well as photos of the sister with her brother. In the photos, the sister had black, curly hair and appeared to have a great relationship with her brother. Yi Chen silently noted this scene in his heart, Creak~ He turned and pushed open the slightly ajar bathroom door, and a horrifying scene unfolded before his eyes. The bathroom was a bit larger than the other guest rooms and even had a bathtub. The sister was lying inside the tub, her limbs were tightly secured by straps between the tub, compared to last night¡¯s appearance, she looked a bit more ¡®human¡¯¡­ to be precise, the scales on her had greatly reduced. However, these fleshy scales had not fallen off on their own, but were being forcibly plucked from her body by the boss, scattered inside and outside the bathtub. At this moment, the sister¡¯s screams had become very faint, the severe pain was accompanied by heavy bleeding, and vitality was also draining away¡­ Barely struggling anymore, her gaunt cheeks which bore gills showed not a hint of liveliness. The scales on both sides of her abdomen had not yet been plucked, she had about forty scales left, the situation looked bleak. Before the boss could speak, Yi Chen took the initiative to speak. ¡°Boss,¡± ¡°your sister is transitioning towards ¡®Pathological Third Rank¡¯ isn¡¯t she? The situation doesn¡¯t seem very good, may I take a look?¡± This remark surprised the boss, he hadn¡¯t expected that this young guest who had only stayed for a bit more than a day had already identified the stages of the scale disease. He nodded slightly, giving his tacit approval. Yi Chen carefully approached next to the bathtub, although he wasn¡¯t medically trained and didn¡¯t know much about the related knowledge, the plants inside him could sense the draining of vitality. ¡°Boss, do you want all the remaining scales removed?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After receiving the boss¡¯s consent, Yi Chen gently placed his palm on the ¡®sister¡¯s¡¯ abdomen, touching the surface of the scales. Soft, tender roots lay flat against the gaps between the scales, burrowing beneath the skin. The tips of roots released a type of natural tissue fluid with healing properties, gently and slowly lifting the scales, reducing the amount of bleeding and virtually eliminating pain¡­ it even tickled a bit. The only downside was its low efficiency and slow speed. Yi Chen meticulously picked at the scales on her abdomen, while also placing his other hand on the heavily bleeding spots on the sister¡¯s body, weaving roots to stop the bleeding. During this process, the sister watched the guest before her with black gem-like eyes. The boss just quietly stood by. At that moment, the voice of little Grape rang in his consciousness. ¡°Hey! Do you have any idea what you¡¯re actually doing? Right in front of you is a ¡®Pathological Infector¡¯, If you allow her to successfully shed her scales, she will get past the infection process and transform into a fully conscious ¡®Patient¡¯.¡± This is what led to the infection and decay of this world! ¡°Instinctively, they harbor hostility towards the uninfected, driven by a desire to invade and occupy your body.¡± ¡°If they really wanted to make a move, they would have done so last night. Moreover, since I stepped into the bathroom until now, the boss had plenty of opportunities to act. I still don¡¯t quite understand what¡¯s going on in this world, I just integrate and analyze the information observed and inferred by my brain to draw conclusions useful to myself¡ªI think ¡®assistance¡¯ is necessary.¡± Once a mutual aid relationship is established, perhaps we can obtain some critical clues that lead us directly to the truth about the town and the mastermind behind it, successfully passing the organization¡¯s assessment.¡± ¡°I really wonder if you are a creature of this world, such actions of yours might draw some displeasure from some humans¡­ But it¡¯s interesting.¡± Little Grape no longer spoke, quietly observing every move of the boss. Just like that, like a major surgery, it took a full eight hours until the last scale was extracted from the body. It was already noon the next day, swish swish~ The boss turned on the bathtub faucet, submerging the sister in it. When she woke up again, she would completely become the ¡®patient¡¯ referred to by Little Grape. Just then, the boss¡¯s hand gently landed on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. The latter was still slightly alert, instinctively reaching for the hand axe. However, it was simply a gesture of gratitude. ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Mr. William.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I¡¯m helping of my own free will.¡± ¡°You can go back to your room and rest, I will ensure no trouble comes your way during your rest period. When you wake up, it would probably be nighttime¡­ Come directly to the first floor for dinner then.¡± Yi Chen made an OK gesture and turned to leave. As he returned to his room, fatigue had already overwhelmed him. Little Grape voluntarily separated out, adopting the appearance of a guard at the gate. ¡°Go to sleep now, I¡¯ve had enough sleep inside you. Don¡¯t wear yourself out, If this brother and sister really provide useful information or even offer to help, maybe we¡¯ll get the giant eyeball.¡± However, Yi Chen just leaned against the headboard, still worried about something, ¡°Once tonight is over, the assessment will enter its final countdown. Even tonight will not be peaceful. Once the sun sets, remember to wake me up.¡± ¡°Stop talking and go to sleep!¡± Little Grape, like a security uncle, moved a wooden chair to the head of the bed and sat upright on it. ¡­ This sleep was the most peaceful sleep Yi Chen had since arriving at Green Lake Town. Perhaps due to the effect of the plants inside him, he naturally woke up when the sun set and photosynthesis stopped. Blinking his sleepy eyes, his vision was completely occupied by a huge mouth, surrounded by black hair, an eye held in the mouth almost ¡®eyeing¡¯ him closely, a strange sound mixed with multiple vocal cords emanated from the mouth, ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Little Grape, don¡¯t scare people!¡± Getting dressed, taking his equipment, he pushed open the room door; the hallway¡¯s candlelight was no more, all candles had been cleared, leaving only an impenetrable darkness. Lighting the kerosene lamp on his waist, he walked toward the first floor with as quiet steps as possible. Just as he descended the stairs, a scent wafted into his nostrils, following the smell, he looked toward the guest room next to the first-floor counter. The door was half-open, candlelight peeking through. Yi Chen hugged the wall toward the doorway, quietly peeking into the room, the interior of the guest room had been arranged like a dining room, a wooden round table laden with various fish dishes and soups. Aside from the boss, there was a black-haired woman sitting there, a light white dress covering her not yet healed body, she seemed to smell the ¡®strange scent¡¯ at the door and turned her fresh, fair young face toward the doorway. The fish gill structure on her cheeks was no longer visible, making her look no different from a normal person. ¡°Mr. William, come have dinner~¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Night Talk Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Night Talk ¡°My name is Cadezi Haji, thank you, Mr. William, for your treatment.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Yi Chen took his reserved seat. In front of each person were two delicately prepared entrees, soup, and dessert. Evengrad-style raw fish slices, braised fish chunks, a large portion of fish roe vegetable pie, mushroom fish bone thick soup, dishes in bright red, bright purple, bright green, and bright white laid out before them, which would have been hard to swallow if not for the enticing aroma. During the meal, the owner asked in a low voice while gnawing on fish meat: ¡°Have you seen through the essence of this small town?¡± Yi Chen quickly waved his hand, ¡°Ah? To say I¡¯ve seen through its essence would be too much, but I¡¯ve merely come to an understanding of the pathological symptoms and processes occurring in Green Lake Town, or let¡¯s say, a kind of ¡®selection mechanism.¡¯ If my analysis isn¡¯t wrong, pathological infection should be divided into three stages: Direct or indirect contact with the water sources of Green Lake Town leads to the invasion of the pathogen. This marks the beginning of ¡®First Stage.¡¯ During this stage, the body slowly grows fish scales and starts to yearn for an underwater life. One should also be able to receive the ¡®Parasitic Mother¡¯s¡¯ directives. The body¡¯s main structure remains within human limits, showing no major changes¡­ living normally among the townsfolk, organizing various activities to attract more tourists here. Once the state of the first stage is stable or a certain threshold is reached, an individual will be bestowed with the qualification to go to Green Lake, and come into close contact with the lake water, officially entering ¡®Second Stage.¡¯ I personally call this stage ¨C ¡®Fishification.¡¯ Due to the depth of immersion in the lake water, the human body will undergo a serious transformation, skin grows scales, and organ tissues also tend to structure themselves like a fish¡¯s, gradually transitioning to a mermaid state. As for the Third Stage. That is the state you are currently in, returning to land, shedding the external fish-like structures, and turning into individuals with intact consciousness.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ you are different. But there is one thing I couldn¡¯t understand all night, knowing that we are diseased, why would you still offer help? You came here to investigate the root of the disease and eradicate it, right?¡± Listening to the owner¡¯s doubts, Yi Chen slowly put a slice of raw fish into his mouth and swallowed before replying; ¡°Strictly speaking, I am still under assessment. I¡¯m not that clear about some concepts and ideologies, I just act according to what I think is the ¡®right¡¯ way to do things.¡± At that point, Miss Cadezi by his side couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. The owner also showed a slight smile and didn¡¯t go on to say much, just then, from outside the inn came a loud explosion, from the direction of the town center¡­ and also various hurried footsteps, thumps, the town seemed to enter into a state of chaos. As Yi Chen was about to get up to check, the owner gestured for him to sit down, speaking softly; ¡°If ¡®outsiders¡¯ have lived in the town for two days and are still not infected by the disease, we¡¯ll take forceful measures. The tourists who came this time all have very high self-control and are quite strong, effectively avoiding contact with various forms of water sources. Tonight has been designated by the mayor as ¡®Day of Disease,¡¯ where mandatory purification will be carried out against you. However, you don¡¯t have to worry¡­ as long as you stay in the inn, no one will come looking for you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Being able to stay in the inn until the end of the third day was also a good option. Yi Chen had self-awareness, especially after seeing people like Edmund, he was very aware of his poor foundation, having not undergone systematic training¡­ if he encountered a more powerful diseased person, there would be almost no chance of victory. Just as Yi Chen was readily accepting this safety proposal, little Grapes suddenly popped out of his shoulder, and with a leap, landed on the dining table. Rows of teeth and eyeballs appeared together, hands on hips! A jumble of noises emanated from within. ¡°Hey~ William here helped you with the important ¡®Patient Transformation¡¯¡­ you know, humans might consider such an act a ¡®crime,¡¯ and might even send you straight to the guillotine. You think a meal can settle this? Provide some effective information, as well as tangible help.¡± Although the fleshy little grape looked somewhat comical, the words carried a hint of coercion, The owner, though expressionless, but sister Cathy instinctively shifted her chair a bit, distancing herself from that ball of flesh. Yi Chen was somewhat surprised, but his expression remained unchanged¡­ tacitly allowing the little grape¡¯s behavior. The owner locked eyes with the grape¡¯s lone eye, ultimately choosing to compromise. ¡°I was planning to discuss this matter after dinner, Since you wish to use ¡®Green Lake Town¡¯ as a platform, to pass the so-called assessment with a high score, I will give you a special route. Hidden in the deepest part of the lake lies a [good thing]. It is this very thing that oversees the ¡®fishification¡¯ process, while also monitoring and controlling the sick people. Once you kill this thing, you can consider the town¡¯s disease root eradicated. If you have this in mind, my sister and I will cooperate to disguise you as ¡®sacrifices,¡¯ to be offered to the thing at the bottom of the lake¡­ In doing so, you can easily avoid the fish people¡¯s interference and head straight for your target. The dinner you just ate will give off enough ¡®fishy smell¡¯, so you won¡¯t be suspected.¡± The owner¡¯s words reminded Yi Chen of the feeling of being watched from the bottom of the lake during his boat trip, as though a giant eye was staring at him. At the moment, Green Lake Town is undergoing a ¡®purge¡¯, with the townspeople and other assessors involved in large-scale battles; it is the perfect time to act. Thereby, two paths to the endpoint of the assessment lay before him. 1. Stay honestly in the inn, safely passing the assessment under the owner and his sister¡¯s cover. 2. Use the best moment at hand, under the brother and sister¡¯s cover, to head to the depths of Green Lake and kill the disease root hidden within. Before making a choice, Yi Chen had one more question. ¡°If we fail in our action and fail to kill the thing at the bottom of the lake, you and Miss Cathy would certainly be implicated¡­ Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Mutual benefit. My sister has completed her scale shedding, transforming into an independent thinking individual. But due to the existence of that thing at the bottom of the lake, we are still bound here¡­ Only by getting rid of that thing can we leave the town, and I have promised her to see the outside world. The decision is yours, Mr. William~ If you decide to go to the bottom of the lake, I believe you also have confidence in this.¡± ¡°I need to think¡­ Give me five minutes.¡± Although he saw no problems in the expressions of the brother and sister, and from the intelligence gathered so far, as well as an objective analysis, they seemed to retain some human nature, despite being sick people. However, Yi Chen was still completely unfamiliar with this world, still not quite understanding many of the ¡®rules of position¡¯. ¡°Little grape, can we trust this?¡± ¡°Of course, you can trust it, why not¡­ Because I am a being that defies the ¡®essence of the pathogen¡¯, reassembled and born from the graves, not bound by anything. I can understand the feelings and thoughts of these two. Such a great opportunity presented before us, it¡¯s worth taking the risk. If we can do it, your assessment score will far exceed that of other humans, thereby gaining the organization¡¯s regard, with more opportunities, greater odds for survival, and the possibility to explore more of the world in the future. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Do we have the capability to kill the disease root that controls and governs the whole town?¡± ¡°A [Mother] that needs to manipulate a large number of parasites, and also handle the fishification work, is generally fixed in one place and unable to move. Its essence is also a ¡®parasite¡¯, so it won¡¯t have much combat power. The greatest difficulty lies in [approaching] it, Any outsider going into the lake not only gets dyed by the lake water but also gets attacked by the merpeople. With the cover of the brother and sister, as long as we can get close to the Mother, everything will become simple, Besides. Even if your Silver Axe isn¡¯t enough to kill the target, this little grape still has so many teeth!¡± The little grape proudly displayed its white teeth, eager to take action. Yi Chen did not respond immediately, his hands crossed in front of his nose, quietly contemplating. He had noticed that little grape seemed somewhat unusual, more proactive than usual on this matter. As he struggled to make a decision, he suddenly recalled his experiences in the cemetery, the feeling of being infinitely close to death when fighting the living dead¡­ He also remembered the significant assistance provided by little grape, and it was precisely because of the Visual Enhancement that he was able to leave the cemetery alive. Sigh¡­ He took a deep breath. ¡°To survive in this world, playing it safe is out of the question, just like when I didn¡¯t stay in the cabin but actively went to cemetery number 4 to take care of the trouble. I don¡¯t know little grape¡¯s origin, true nature, or specific stance. Since it has saved me once, I¡¯ll trust it unconditionally this time, If I can survive, it means it¡¯s trustworthy, and I can cooperate with it for the long term. And I need to seize such an [opportunity], to get on a higher platform¡­ Just like back in the orphanage, I spared no effort to seize the chance to leave.¡± Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Deep in the Lake Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Deep in the Lake Several kilometers away on a mountaintop. The gentlemen watched the town engulfed in total rebellion, The clothes they wore seemed to sense the bloody scent wafting from the town and became restless. With a large belly pouch, Teacher Suman¡¯s face was almost squeezed together, ¡°If this large-scale forced infection breaks out tonight, it will be hard for anyone to survive until tomorrow afternoon¡­ I suggest we bring the exam to an end at dawn.¡± This proposal received the agreement of many gentlemen. Even the usually strict white-haired Professor Qian Bosen silently consented. While most gentlemen¡¯s gaze focused on the town center and the surrounding areas where fierce battles erupted, Gug~ The owl perched on Qian Bosen¡¯s shoulder cried out, pulling his gaze towards the ¡°Green Shadows Inn¡± on the edge of town. Two ¡°patients¡± with independent consciousness did not participate in the town¡¯s rebellion but instead quietly slipped out the back door, Pushing a wooden cart in tandem, On which lay six bodies covered with a thin film of ¡®fish eggs¡¯ and filled with a large amount of mucus inside. One of the bodies at the bottom was the young man whom white-haired Qian Bosen had taken an interest in earlier. Qian Bosen simply watched, without making any comments, The wooden cart was pushed to the lakeside, Tilting the cart¡¯s head, Splash~ the water splashed as all six bodies were dumped into it. The siblings responsible for the transport also jumped into the lake, They carried the six bodies to the deepest part of the lake using their sticky bodies as transport means. ¡°This is¡­¡± White-haired Qian Bosen¡¯s pupils changed at this moment, the first time he utilized his abilities since supervising this exam. His sclera turned blood-red, His normally rounded pupils were completely blackened, Greatly enhancing his field of vision, he easily looked through Green Lake, focusing on Yi Chen, who pretended to be unconscious and wrapped in the thin film. ¡°This guy actually managed to get this far¡­¡± Qian Bosen pointed his finger, The owl on his shoulder immediately spread its wings and flew out, its white silhouette flashing through the night sky toward Green Lake. ¡­ [Under the lake] The bodies carried by the siblings were not corpses, but perfectly cultured, suitable for ¡®Fishification¡¯ infected bodies¡­ all used as decoys to hide Yi Chen, the ¡®sixth person¡¯. These fish egg films wrapping their bodies, not only effectively isolated the impact of lake water, but also preserved a sufficient amount of air, enough to support them to the bottom of the lake, Moreover, Yi Chen himself took some precautionary measures, ¡®Equipped with a mask¡¯ Root-like nets were set between his throat, nostrils, and ear canals¡­ even if exposed to the lake water, they prevented water from entering his body, effectively filtering pathogens. With eyes tightly shut, pretending to be unconscious, Yet a mouth quietly opened on the back of his head, containing eyes, stealthily spying on the situation under the water. According to observations of Green Lake. [Upper half of the lake]: Floating, crowded with dense green-lit parasitic eggs and fish eggs, [Lower half of the lake] The tiny egg bodies no longer existed, replaced by a terrifying ¡®human egg.¡¯ Those who successfully passed the first stage of fish-scale infection were curled up among the egg bodies, A cord-like strip of flesh at one end connected to their navels, the other end connected to the lake bed. This was how ¡®Fishification¡¯ was carried out. Once the body grew enough fish scales and internal organs evolved completely, forming perfect gill structures, they would break out of the eggs and transform into merpeople. Of course, Some already matured fish people were also swimming around here, inspecting the human eggs and guarding against intruders. Slowly, Drawn by the siblings, they gradually approached the deepest part of Green Lake. A hair-raising sense of being watched returned, clearly something in the deepest part was watching them. ¡°That is!¡± After bypassing several human eggs and patrolling merpeople, An extraordinarily large ¡°[Eye]¡± was discovered, embedded deep in the lake bed¡­ a super large green pupil constantly moved, monitoring everything in the lake bed and Green Lake Town. ¡°Super huge green grape!¡± Little Grape became exceptionally excited at this moment, At this moment, Yi Chen also understood why Little Grape was being proactive; perhaps it knew all along. However, one thing puzzled him, ¡°Why would the root be a giant eye rather than a mother?¡±, In Yi Chen¡¯s expectation, What caused the fish scale disease, turning the townspeople into merpeople, should have been a parasitic mother¡­ its image should be that of a massive, egg-laying bug-like monster. But the giant eye before them seemed completely unrelated to ¡®egg-laying¡¯ or ¡®parasite¡¯. As Yi Chen felt puzzled, Little Grape¡¯s voice came: ¡°What is the disease? Where does pathology come from? These questions are basically hard for anyone to understand, and the diversity, variability involved are even less known. Perhaps there never was any parasitic mother, This giant eye was merely a ¡®Watcher¡¯ after all, It might have been instructed to bring a ¡®parasite swarm¡¯ to this town, monitor and witness the town¡¯s pathological transformation¡­ and subsequently might take some quality patients away. Its eyes can control parasites through staring alone. Anyway, This super grape is the source¡­ That¡¯s our target now. In a moment, all you need to do, William, is one thing¡ª[make physical contact with this eyeball]. The moment you touch the surface of the eyeball, I can transfer directly inside it and suck the grape juice.¡± Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Deep in the Lake_2 Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Deep in the Lake_2 Listening to the battle plan provided by Little Grape, Yi Chen replied: ¡°You knew from the beginning that there was a giant eye at the bottom of the lake, didn¡¯t you, Little Grape?¡± ¡°Not from the beginning, but during the boat ride, while gazing at the lake¡­ Similar types naturally have some subtle sensing.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t say much but focused on what was in front of him. After the siblings delivered the ¡®goods¡¯, the innkeeper conveyed the information of this batch of goods to the Lake Bottom Giant Eye through consciousness communication. Once the message was delivered, he immediately surfaced. Any superfluous action could arouse suspicion. Yi Chen and the other ¡®goods¡¯ were suspended about four meters above the giant eye, currently in the deep water zone. It was not easy to close this distance; they had to wait for an opportunity. Following that, a rather eerie scene came into view, the center of the giant eye¡¯s pupil dilated to disclose a small round hole, from which a meat-like creature, similar to an eel and hence termed ¡®meat eel¡¯, wriggled out. Its mouth was round, filled with dense sharp teeth, and protruded blood-colored threads swirling in the water. ¡°This is¡­ connected to the umbilical, similar to an umbilical cord!¡± The next second, the meat eel plunged into one of the ¡®goods¡¯ beside Yi Chen, its mouth perfectly connecting with the umbilical, dragging the goods toward an empty spot at the lake bottom, rooting, fertilizing, transforming, Systematically, another meat eel emerged, connecting to another ¡®good¡¯ in front of Yi Chen. Watching the ¡®bodies¡¯ being dragged away and packaged one by one¡­ This suffocating pressure, like a hand squeezing the heart, forced the heart rate to accelerate. ¡°Steady!¡± Yi Chen suppressed his tense emotions with all his might, waiting for the best moment to arrive. Perhaps due to good luck, or maybe the giant eye noticed something special about Yi Chen, or perhaps the innkeeper said something to the giant eye, Yi Chen happened to be the last one¡­ At this deep spot at the lake bottom, it was just him and the giant eye. Gajigaji~ From the small hole in the pupil, the last, and also the one next to Yi Chen, meat eel emerged, wriggling, floating up, penetrating the membrane, whew¡­ Yi Chen took a deep breath, still not moving, still waiting for the moment to come. The meat eel crept up to his abdomen, wriggling toward the umbilical, strands of nerves in its mouth scraped against Yi Chen¡¯s body, unbearably itchy. As it wrapped around to the front, the meat eel¡¯s mouth bloomed like a petal, revealing its inner walls filled with sharp teeth, and bit toward the umbilical. Just as its mouth touched the umbilical, in an instant. Yi Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide, and he immediately drew the Silver Axe from within his clothes¡­ swish! The meat eel¡¯s strip of flesh and the white membrane on Yi Chen¡¯s body were both sliced open. His other hand grabbed the upper half of the meat eel¡¯s body remaining on his abdomen, cracking it forcefully! The next moment, Yi Chen instantly raised his free arm forming a fist, Gajigaji~ Fresh plant roots quickly wove together, perhaps stimulated by danger, weaving faster than before, even forming a bark-like structure on the surface of the roots. In an instant, a filtering mask was already worn on his face, further isolating the lake water. The entire process was almost completed in an instant, and taking advantage of the giant eye not fully responding yet, Yi Chen swam at full speed toward the deepest part¡­ four meters, three meters, two meters, just over a meter left, something unexpected happened! The giant eye at the lake bottom, normally diffused, instantly contracted and focused¡­ turning into a pinpoint the size of a ping-pong ball. ¡°Damn!¡± Even though Yi Chen closed his eyes immediately, yet, An invisible wave of spiritual energy had penetrated, seeping through the mask and eyelids, passing through the pupils, travelling directly along the optic nerves to the brain, Hum! A loud ringing in the ears, as if some mischievous child had stuffed a whole box of firecrackers into his head and then smashed them all with a slap. ¡°William! Hang on! Before I make contact with the Great Grape, I can¡¯t reveal myself!¡± At that moment, the voice of Little Grape resonated in the consciousness, providing encouragement and mental support. Under the infiltration of spiritual power, Yi Chen felt as if his brain¡¯s surface was covered in tiny eyeballs. Any slight gap in his awareness would be penetrated by these eyeballs. ¡°Hold on, this is the hard-won chance for a rebirth¡­¡± [Willpower] A spiritual creation forged from ¡°life experiences¡± as a hammer. Although Yi Chen was only in his twenties, his earlier ¡°life experiences¡± were like a spiked hammer, constantly pounding on him. Finding escape with difficulty, Finding a chance to transcend, to come to such an interesting world, he wanted to survive¡­ to truly live for once. At this moment! Blood seeped from between his eyes, staining the vegetative mask red. The desperate screams turned into a mass of bubbles rising in the lake. Forcefully breaking through the last meter of distance, sidestepping, extending an arm, touching, his palm firmly pressed against the moist and smooth surface of the eyeball¡­ precisely at the center, where a wormhole of flesh burrowed out. The moment of contact, a black mass instantly separated from his palm, moving along the wormhole, burrowing into the giant eye. The moment of success, Yi Chen could no longer hold on, his relaxed consciousness instantly breached! However, the spiritual erosion from the giant eye did not damage his brain, but rather packaged and processed Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness, sending it to an utterly unknown domain. Hum! The consciousness trembled, Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness seemed to have been sent to a deep, mysterious cave situated at the abyss¡¯s bottom. Black hexagonal fish scales, like wall tiles, covered the cave walls, the ground covered with a layer of clear water that could submerge a normal person¡¯s knees, meat-colored pipelines connected various experimental canisters, walls were draped and inset with compartments of various sizes, used to cultivate life, This place seemed like the ¡°Abyss Laboratory¡±. In the center of the laboratory, a being that transcended concepts was recording data, just turned away from Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness, dressed in a nearly perfect, force-field generating dark gold cylindrical robe, revealing a tail covered in black scales. More akin to a dragon¡¯s tail than a fish tail. For some reason, as Yi Chen gazed upon this being¡¯s silhouette, thud? thud? thud? his consciousness unexpectedly resonated with a layered and epic music, the dwindling sound of a cello, along with the beat of the tides, as if signaling to the listeners that this music from the deep sea foretells the arrival of some dreadful entity. As the music arose, a [Frame] shaped like a health bar in a game, starting with a fish head sculpture and surrounded by gold, appeared above the figure¡¯s head. Between the frames was filled with a dark fish oil, or perhaps an ancient fish essence, churning, tumbling, roaring Above the frame, titles and names were attached. ¡ìFish Origin ¨C Nazjatar (Nazjatar, The Primitive Arowana)¡ì Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Evacuation Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Evacuation The laboratory was damp and permeated with the smell of fish. An ancient being, whose lifespan had to be calculated with an ¡°Old-Time Calendar¡±, suddenly felt a sense of being watched from behind. #Hmm? Was something interesting brought in?# He stopped the pen he had been moving with his tentacle-like fingers. He turned his head, the fish gills on his neck slightly open, as if through the gill slits he could see a sea world filled with bizarre fish. Just as he turned a face that could neither be resolved by the naked eye nor described in words, Pop~ a fish-eye, small as a grain of rice located behind him in a test tank, burst. The sense of being watched vanished too. However, like this tiny fish-eye, there were thousands more in that single tank. He didn¡¯t consider it important and continued his work on important data recording. ¡­ [Perspective Shift] Listening to the epic music from the ocean, watching a terrifying figure beyond comprehension, Yi Chen almost instantly lost control over his consciousness and couldn¡¯t even move his field of vision¡­ like a fish waiting to be slaughtered. Within his field of vision, the unknown being who was recording data seemed to notice his watching, slowly turning its head Such an ordinary action evoked an unprecedented sense of fear in Yi Chen¡¯s heart. This most ancient, primal emotion seemed like a pair of large hands, tightly squeezing the soul, possibly tearing it apart at any moment. The act of turning felt like a countdown to death. At the critical moment, a familiar jumble of noises came through in his mind, ¡°William, wake up!¡± The voice, coupled with a strong pulling sensation, Buzz! At that moment, Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness broke free from its bonds and fled the fish-scaled, foul-smelling abyss, traversing the cracks of time and space, and returned to Green Lake. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his familiar physical body. Lying in the dark depths of the lake, the Observer Giant Eye, designated as ¡°Watcher¡±, had been completely drained, resembling an empty balloon laying lifelessly at the bottom of the lake. The fully fed Grape had returned and hid under the skin in a peculiar state of fertility, leaving behind only one sentence. ¡°I need a long rest now¡­ unless it¡¯s a life-threatening emergency, don¡¯t wake me.¡± As the voice ended, the connection in the mind weakened to 1/10, only allowing him to feel the orb located in his abdominal cavity, subtly nurturing and growing. However, the crisis in Green Lake Town was not over. The Giant Eye was just one ¡°Watcher¡±, its death had only unshackled the townspeople, making them freer¡­ The townspeople infected with ¡°Fish Scale Disease¡± were as active as ever, possibly even more insane. At the same time, mermaids roaming around Green Lake each glanced towards the unfamiliar figure at the bottom of the lake, focusing on this uninfected newcomer¡­ instinctively swarming towards him rapidly. The numbers were so great, there was no escape! In that critical moment, a white shadow burst into the lake, moving so fast no creature could see clearly. A streak of white light flashed past the fish. Two strong, sharp claws directly gripped into Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders, piercing the flesh and sinking into the bones~ Before he could even feel the pain, an unimaginable pulling force came, pulling him straight out of the lake, shredding any mermaids trying to block the way with some hidden Wind Blade, unstoppable. Splash! A huge splash arose on the lake surface, Yi Chen was pulled out entirely, flying near the ground, and eventually thrown at the back door of Green Shadows Inn. Thump! His hands supported against the wall, barely landing. Yi Chen quickly looked up, only to see that his rescuer was a White Feathered Owl. Before he could even thank it, the creature had already flown away. At that moment, the boss opened the back door and pulled Yi Chen into the inn. The dim pupils on the boss¡¯s face became clearer at that moment. ¡°You¡­ really did it! Cathy, quickly take Mr. William to the basement to recover.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The slim sister in a white dress effortlessly carried Yi Chen on her shoulder, reaching the basement along the secret path, She brought some dry towels, carefully wiping Yi Chen¡¯s body. Surprisingly, despite having been soaked in the lake for such a long time, his clothes were not wet, just needing a wipe off the surface water stains to look as good as new. The only thing that needed special attention was the shoulder pierced by the owl, with a little lake water seeping into the wound¡­ Cathy first wiped it with a towel, suddenly pressed her cold lips against it, and sucked hard~ All the blood and the mixed-in lake water were drawn out, blocking the infection. ¡°It should be fine now ¨C I¡¯ll go get something tasty, so just wait here, okay?¡± After his sister left, Yi Chen sat alone on a chair in the basement. Though this underwater adventure at the lake had not caused any substantial injuries, his mental state was not very good, with constant ringing in his ears, a slightly swollen cranial cavity, and intermittent flashes of the Abyss Laboratory crossing his mind. Unconsciously, a stream of nosebleed flowed out accompanied by a strong dizzy sensation, nearly making Yi Chen fall off the chair. ¡°Could this be a side effect of mental intrusion? Even when I didn¡¯t open my eyes, I was still affected¡­ It was entirely reliant on Mili to finally kill the Observer Giant Eye. And such a giant eye spreading fish scale disease, and controlling Green Lake Town, was just a small product of the laboratory. I am too weak now, there must be a way to grow and become stronger in this world, and perhaps the organization has such methods.¡± Having experienced life and death at the bottom of the lake, Yi Chen was not frightened, rather, it stirred his desire to explore the world, eager to become stronger and learn more. At that moment, Cathy came to the basement, carrying a bowl of special fish soup. Thick, bubbling, black, with various mutated fish heads crammed into the soup bowl, the taste was like a dead fish in a washbasin, undiscovered for a week. ¡°This is what your brother specially prepared, saying that if you survived and came back, this fish head soup would be of great help.¡± ¡°All right¡­okay.¡± He took the big bowl, which seemed enough for several people, tentatively touched the viscous surface of the soup with a finger, ensured there was no rejection from the plant inside his body, pinched his nose with one hand, held the soup bowl with the other, and gulped it down fiercely, As the turmoil in his stomach ensued, the ever-present ringing in his ears began to diminish, and the swelling in his cranial cavity gradually subsided. ¡°Good stuff!¡± Just as Yi Chen marveled at the miraculous properties of this exotic dish, a powerful and clear voice came from above, seeping through the building¡¯s floors of Green Shadows Inn, clearly reaching Yi Chen¡¯s ears¡­ and the whole town could hear this voice as well. ¡°All Assessors, please note. Hurry to the town¡¯s eastern exit at maximum speed, where the organization¡¯s carriage will be waiting for you, with a limit of one second. Exceeding the time will be considered a failure in the assessment.¡± ¡°Has the assessment ended early?¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen immediately perked up, and returned to the inn. Green Shadows Inn was located at the southern exit of the town, quite far from the gathering point at the eastern exit¡­ Crossing an entirely uncontrollable, rioting town posed a great risk. Not to mention, Mili was in a special state, unable to provide visual assistance. ¡°Mr. William, if you want to go to the eastern exit, you¡¯ll either have to go through the town center or circle around the lake. The journey is dangerous, let us accompany you.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be too dangerous? If there are organization members at the eastern exit, they might attack you.¡± ¡°As long as we don¡¯t get too close, we should be fine.¡± Yi Chen did not refuse; he indeed needed the siblings¡¯ assistance. Adopting a similar method, disguised as ¡®corpses¡¯, they lay flat on a wooden cart, pushed by the siblings towards the eastern entrance. With high-level diseased patients shedding their scales completely in the town center, they chose to go around the lake¡­ Throughout the journey, there were no obstacles; no townsfolk would suspect the existence of such high beings as the siblings. When they could barely make out the silhouette of the carriage, the siblings also stopped. On the eve of parting, considering the path of ¡®curing disease¡¯ he was about to embark on, if they met again in the future, their positions might be entirely different. They simply gave each other a hug, without saying words like ¡®goodbye¡¯. However, while hugging the boss, the person gently patted Yi Chen¡¯s back and whispered in his ear: ¡°Leave here quickly, Mr. William¡­ You are the strangest human I have ever seen, completely different from others; maybe you really have a chance to cure this incurable world. If there is a chance to meet again, please don¡¯t hesitate, just kill us.¡± Yi Chen did not respond, but locked eyes with the boss for one second, then immediately turned and ran towards the assembly point. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Sensory Enhancement Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Sensory Enhancement The time limit is down to the last two minutes. At the town¡¯s assembly point, four carriages are still waiting. A large number of crazed townspeople have pursued them here, and naturally, a small part also noticed Yi Chen approaching from the lakeside and turned to chase after him. At that moment, the rear compartment of one of the carriages suddenly burst open, and an arm solid as a column of stone reached out¡ªit was Dagbert from the Northern Realm, with whom there had been previous cooperation. Blond Edmund was also sitting to the side, gesturing to Yi Chen to come over. ¡°Isn¡¯t that William? Come on, we¡¯re just short one person.¡± At such a crucial moment related to the end of the assessment, there was naturally no need to refuse. Hurrying forward, when Yi Chen reached out and touched Dagbert¡¯s palm¡­ an unimaginable force was transmitted to him, and without even making a jumping motion, he was already pulled onto the carriage. Edmund, seated to the side, simultaneously closed the door. Now that the carriage was full, the coachman didn¡¯t wait any longer. Snap! The reins lashed on the horses¡¯ backs, and the carriage quickly left the small town filled with the stench of fish. Inside the carriage, besides the four of them, there were two other new faces, both injured¡­ one wrapped with bandages around the waist, another with a right arm severely flayed, spraying medicine on the wound. In comparison, Edmund¡¯s squad had suffered minor injuries. Dagbert had a small bandage wrapped around his upper left arm, Juliana was resting at the side of the carriage, with one hand on the right side of her waist, seemingly nursing a minor injury, Blond Edmund had only an adhesive bandage like a plaster on his cheek. By contrast, the unharmed Yi Chen naturally became the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Edmund leaned forward, curiously asking: ¡°Mr. William, I¡¯m a bit curious~ The three of us almost fought our way to the assembly point through the town center, and we also stopped twice along the way for observation, but we never saw any sign of you. Could it be that you came from the lakeside?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you manage that? The small town¡¯s chaos, especially near the lake that breeds pathogens¡­ hardly any assessors would get close to it at the last moment.¡± ¡°I just accidentally observed a ¡®Gap¡¯.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°By the way, how long will it take to get to the organization from here?¡± Seeing the reticent Yi Chen take the initiative to ask, Edmund hurriedly explained: ¡°Generally, the places chosen as assessment sites won¡¯t be too far from the organization¡­ This is conducive to monitoring the site and avoiding unexpected situations. At most, it will take us three hours to reach the headquarters of the Organization¡ªZion City.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yi Chen asked no more, taking this opportunity to close his eyes and rest, recovering from the mental trauma that remained. At the same time, he could pay close attention to the condition of the Little Grape. Leveraging the action at the bottom of the lake, although Little Grape had its own agenda, overall, it could still be trusted. Crackling~ The plant roots were moving inside his body, trying to make contact with the Little Grape, which is still in the developing stage, to check its condition. Just as it was about to make contact, all the roots dispersed. ¡°Forget it, better not disturb it¡­¡± Hands in his pockets, he leaned against the wooden frame of the carriage, ready to get some good sleep, but found that there were some remnants in his head that prevented him from falling asleep, whenever he closed his eyes, he would remember the Abyss Laboratory and the untouchable unknown entity. Since he couldn¡¯t sleep, his engineering mind began trying to ponder the root cause of the Green Lake Town incident. ¡°The true mastermind behind this must be the unknown entity I stumbled upon. The giant eye at the bottom of the lake is merely a result of his experiments. To plant this eye along with some parasite samples in Green Lake Town¡­ it¡¯s less of an invasion by pathogens and more like treating the town as a ¡®Breeding Farm¡¯. Once a high-quality patient is produced, it might be taken to the Abyss. It¡¯s terrifying¡­ Just what kind of entities dominate this world?¡± Recalling the epic music amongst the sea, and the gold frame that appeared above the head of an unknown entity, Yi Chen actually revealed a slight smile, eagerly wanting to explore the secrets of this world. ¡­ About two hours passed Suddenly, an intense jolting sensation struck. At the same time, the carriage gradually began tilting upward, clearly ascending an uphill road. ¡°Are we finally climbing the mountain? Ouch~ We¡¯ll be there soon, how exciting.¡± Blond Edmund stretched lazily and then took it upon himself to open the rear door of the carriage¡­ The coachman said nothing about such behavior. As long as they climbed the mountain, there was no risk of pathological infection. At least that was the case for now. The moment the carriage door was fully open. ¡°Holy shit!¡± The effects of acrophobia swept over Yi Chen¡¯s brain instantaneously, instinctively widening his eyes¡­ Luckily he wasn¡¯t sitting in a seat closer to the outside, or he would have been scared stiff. At present, The carriage was traveling along an extremely steep edge-of-the-cliff road, ascending upwards. To the right was a cliff, with an estimated height of over two hundred meters, and what was most terrifying, was that the width of the mountain road was just barely ten centimeters wider than the carriage, The rolling wheels were almost touching the very edge of the road, at risk of slipping at any moment¡­ Any ordinary person would feel an instinctive fear, a dread of death. However. The rest of the Assessors had little change in their expressions, fully trusting in the coachman¡¯s skill. When the carriage rounded a bend between the cliffs, hundreds of meters away, looking towards the top of the cliff, a black city stood there. The city was built against the mountain cliff, with even 1/3 of the area extending beyond the edge of the cliff. A thick fog enveloped the city above, with some areas even covered by a black membrane that effectively blocked external prying. ¡°This is Zion.¡± For some reason, when Yi Chen gazed at the city, his body autonomously produced a cold comfort, as if he had found a safe haven in a world riddled with sores. Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted within him. The skin on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder swiftly bulged, and strands of black threads pierced through and grew out, gently and painlessly tearing the skin, a completely identical black flesh ball emerged, and the nerve connections between them also returned to normal. The voice of Little Grape followed: ¡°Are we about to reach the Organization already? That was fast.¡± ¡°Little Grape, you¡¯re better already? I thought it would take you a few days.¡± ¡°It was just a fine small meal after all, a few hours are enough for digestion¡­ It was barely decent, but it did give me a certain improvement. Let¡¯s let you experience it as well.¡± When Little Grape shared the newly upgraded visual trait, an additional circular dashed line symbolizing [Locking] appeared in Yi Chen¡¯s vision. As soon as any living target appeared in his field of vision, this dashed circle would automatically fall on the entity, At the moment, Blond Edmund was conveniently in Yi Chen¡¯s field of view, and just like an auto-aim, the circular dashed line immediately encircled the target¡¯s head. One second later, the dashed line gradually solidified, signifying the completion of locking. The voice of Little Grape came again, ¡°Alright, the target is locked! Just move the related thought and the mental radiation will act directly on it.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Yi Chen quickly shifted his gaze and blinked simultaneously. The [Locking] naturally deactivated. Blond Edmund seemed to notice Yi Chen sneakily looking at him but didn¡¯t mind at all. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Entering the City Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Entering the City ¡°` About half an hour of climbing later, the carriage finally left the treacherous mountain road. The wheels rolled onto a wide avenue paved with stones, a road that would lead everyone to the front of Zion City. It¡¯s worth noting that black lamp posts stood at equal intervals along both sides of the road, not kerosene lamps, but ¡°electric lights.¡± ¡°There are actually electric lights here?¡± Since arriving in this world, Yi Chen had been curious about the era he was in. The cabin among the graveyards had an old-fashioned telephone, only capable of contacting the Manager, and then there were no other electrical appliances¡­ This led Yi Chen to speculate that this world was in a period not long after the Second Industrial Revolution. But as he left the graveyard, he saw no electrical equipment in the outside world, and people were using kerosene lamps and candles for light. Even the vehicles sent by the Organization were horse-drawn carriages, not motor-driven cars. This made Yi Chen even more puzzled, as now on the road to Zion City, once again, there was infrastructure related to ¡°electricity,¡± and he was somewhat unclear about what was going on. ¡°Could it be that due to Pathological reasons, certain backward regions couldn¡¯t keep up with development and remained in the pre-industrial revolution era? But that doesn¡¯t make sense either; if that were the case, phones shouldn¡¯t be appearing in graveyards. Could the phone have been brought over by the Manager from the Organization?¡± ¡°Grey Zone.¡± Little Grape suddenly interjected into Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts, giving a keyword. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°According to the memories merged in my head, the humans here once entered a period of the ¡®Electrical Age,¡¯ where highly efficient and convenient electrical power replaced steam power¡­ However, under the influence of Pathological effects, electricity wasn¡¯t able to develop fully before it was ¡®segmented and restricted.¡¯ Since the Grey Zone spreads all over the world, constantly expanding and propagating. Any material in the Gray Domain will be affected, including ¡°electricity.¡± When wires pass through Grey Zone areas, the electric current flowing in them is affected and becomes a medium for pathology. The light bulbs lit by electricity will affect an individual¡¯s skin through light radiation, phones affected by it will emit strange static and whispers from the receiver, gradually affecting a person¡¯s thoughts. Even televisions may display bizarre and unclear images, spreading pathology through Vision. Because of this, the development of electricity was completely suppressed, and human technology was forcibly reverted to the steam age, however, in some relatively safe large cities, such as Zion City you are about to reach, there are necessarily power plants inside, maintaining the supply of electricity within the city, maintaining the development of related technology. That¡¯s probably the case.¡± ¡°Electric current can be affected by pathology? What exactly is this ¡®Disease,¡¯ and what is its Origin?¡± ¡°My memories are incomplete, I cannot answer that question¡­ and besides, even amongst your humans, I fear no one can answer. In the future, you should be able to slowly learn through exploration and Seeking Knowledge.¡± As Yi Chen¡¯s confusion grew and he wanted to continue the conversation with Little Grape, the carriage came to a stop, and Edmund¡¯s voice came: ¡°Mr. William, don¡¯t doze off~ We¡¯ve arrived at Zion City. Next is the very important assessment and award ceremony, which relates to whether we can formally join the Organization and the subsequent treatment issues.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Stepping down from the carriage, there was no city gate as expected, but two black, towering towers with Gothic spires stood before him, their surfaces etched with vertical ribbing. Between the towers, there was a narrow, constricted and dark passageway, the sole road leading into the city, while endless black walls spread out on both sides of the towers, dominated by spires and vertical structures. Spaced evenly atop the wall were sculptures resembling gargoyles, adding another layer of gloom to what were already dark facade structures. It looked less like the outer walls of a city and more like a Gothic-style fortress wall with military traits. ¡°William, come on! We still need to pass through this gate for isolation, detection, and purification before we can officially enter the inner parts of Zion City.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The total number of Assessors sent here was nineteen. ¡°` Everyone entered the narrow passage to the tower in a relatively orderly manner, Within the passage, a cylindrical dome and ribbed frameworks were used, with classical wall lamps on the surfaces of the columns on both sides. It wasn¡¯t far. A gentleman, holding a walking cane with a crooked handle and wearing a white mask, blocked their path. A secret passage appeared in the walls on either side of him. A mature and deep voice came from beneath the mask, ¡°I am very pleased that so many newcomers have passed this fairly difficult assessment. However, before you set foot in Zion, a thorough physical disinfection must be performed. Gentlemen to the right, Ladies to the left, Upon reaching the ¡®Disinfection Room¡¯, please remove all your clothes in a short amount of time. If, after the disinfection is completed, pathological substances still remain on your bodies beyond the set standards, or if you exhibit symptoms of infection, you will be directly eliminated.¡± Yi Chen followed at the end of the men¡¯s queue, arriving at an enclosed space. Blond Edmund was the first to strip bare. As Yi Chen removed his clothes, he unexpectedly discovered that the body of William Behrens wasn¡¯t too bad, Although slightly lean, The outline of abs was faintly visible, and the body fat percentage was within the normal range. About half a minute passed, Pipeline sprays extended from the walls around them, even from below and above. An extremely pungent, pale yellow liquid shot out at high pressure, Washing over everyone¡¯s bodies, some of the seriously injured assessors were even sprayed until they tumbled several times. Yi Chen tried to stabilize his body as best he could. ¡°Chlorine? Seems to be mixed with something else¡­¡± When the flushing ended, A strange sense of scrutiny rapidly swept over everyone¡¯s body, as if searching for something. Hum! There was a slight vibration in the air, and a young man sitting against the wall simply vanished. ¡°Vanished directly? What kind of method is this?¡± Yi Chen was quite astonished, as he was maintaining a state of Spiritual Concentration¡­ yet he had seen nothing just now. Everyone put their clothes back on, returning to the previous corridor of the passage. After the disinfection process, the number of people had decreased to 17. They continued to follow the gentleman with the white mask, heading towards the exit of the passage. As they stepped out of the passage, The morning sunlight instantly bathed everyone, simultaneously presenting a unique city filled with Gothic Revival aura that transcended conventional architectural styles. Zion City Intersecting levels, multi-layered structures, and streets connected by arch bridges. Diverse trails winding and undulating through the districts, And the churches, guild buildings, noble mansions, etc., constructed in midair using columns, spiral staircases, or large steps, through special architectural methods. In some aspects of architecture, it had surpassed the world Yi Chen had known in his former life. The guiding gentleman placed his top hat over his chest and bowed slightly to everyone, ¡°Welcome to the headquarters of G&D, the sanctuary of this world ¨C Zion. I am your temporary guide, Jeff Peterson. Please continue to follow me to the Divine Skin Mansion, where based on your performance in the assessment, you will receive different levels of the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ reward. Please do not leave the group to go elsewhere during the journey, or it will be considered a voluntary forfeiture of the ¡®gift of Skin¡¯.¡± Upon hearing this special term, Blond Edmund and most of the assessors showed eager eyes, becoming excited¡­ as if all the dangers they had experienced along the way had been worth it. While Yi Chen¡¯s face remained expressionless, His heart began to churn with excitement, eager to see what kind of return his ¡®big gamble¡¯ would bring. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Divine Skin Mansion Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Divine Skin Mansion As he delved deeper into Zion City, Yi Chen grew increasingly amazed by the astonishing design of the city, where even just the current section he encountered, the ¡°Street District,¡± was divided into three levels: upper, middle, and lower, connected by elevators, perimeter stairs, and some indoor staircases. It should be noted that the area entered from the main gate of the city wall corresponds to the upper street district. That is to say the middle and lower layers are embedded within the mountain. In addition, Due to the district being divided into three levels, the ground of the upper and middle layers has significant crevices and gaps, connected by circular arch bridges. The residential architecture of the Street District still mainly follows Gothic style, with tall, slender spires, clear vertical features, vertical long windows, and so on, dark and oppressive. A few buildings have significant stacked features that penetrate from the lower to the upper layers. In addition, most of the street designs are impractical, lacking convenient access, and even have iron gates set up at some corners and narrow points, giving a sense of winding and deliberately segmented confusion. Moreover, the entire street district lacks a clear main road, resembling more of a multi-layered, nonlinear maze, where unnoticed building structures occasionally give way to a winding path that might directly lead to the other end of the street,saving dozens of minutes in travel time than other routes. While observing the complex streets, Yi Chen offered his analysis. ¡°This street design, I believe, has two reasons. 1. This city is not really a tourist area, open only to internal organization personnel. No matter how complex the street structure is, as long as internal personnel are familiar enough, it¡¯s not a problem, even more convenient at times. 2. If one day, Pathological spreads to the whole world, even reaching Zion. If the walls are breached causing the Street District to be infected, this complex structure can be used for effective, rapid, and sectional isolation.¡± In addition, thanks to enhanced senses, Yi Chen noticed that the people living in the Street District, one by one, walked with light steps, simple movements, and elegant manners, even full of power in some subtle actions. Their attire was also quite elaborate, every detail withstand scrutiny. ¡°Humans living in Zion City must all be personnel who have successfully passed the basic assessment¡­ Even the most ordinary residents may be much stronger than us.¡± As he walked through the undulating streets, Yi Chen also noticed many secret shops, with no signs, but obviously doing some business. Additionally, some small street paths were closed off, guarded by gentlemen in suits, the reasons unknown. He also observed, some gentlemen walking in the streets were also carrying relatively special ¡°pets.¡± Apart from parrots, kitties, and other fairly normal pets, there were some small creatures that could fit the monster label, such as a ¡®dog¡¯ with its mouth shaped like a chrysanthemum and lacking other facial features, tied with Iron Chains, or a large spider with human legs. Pet shops which were more mysterious were also set up between the streets, though their doors closed tight, one could still hear strange cries coming from inside. No wonder then, when Yi Chen met other assessors while carrying the small grape on his shoulder, there was not much surprise from everyone. It seems that among the organizations, it¡¯s quite common for gentlemen to carry pets to assist in combat. ¡°Half an hour¡± As everyone followed the lead of Mr. Jeff, they walked across a stone arch bridge connecting to the opposite street, the bridge also met by an individual dressed oddly coming towards them. Wearing the most iconic bird beak mask of a medieval doctor, the mask material was very special, faintly showing flowing scars of stardust, and was also embedded with metal structured eye sockets and nose pieces. Mysterious yet noble. However, on top of wearing the bird beak mask, this individual was also draped in a white coat symbolizing modern medicine, walking barefoot. Such an image naturally made Yi Chen think of a profession: ¡°Doctor.¡± When Mr. Jeff, who was leading the way, saw this person, he immediately took off his hat and bowed in a gentleman¡¯s salute. The accompanying assessors also halted and bowed. However. This mysterious doctor, as he passed by everyone, suddenly stopped. Tilting his head, the metal eye sockets on his bird-beak mask were staring directly at Yi Chen at the end of the line, his breathing intermittent, releasing a sinister ¡ª even somewhat viscous ¡ª discourse: ¡°Death¡­ You have a thin yet real aura of death flowing in you; where does it come from?¡± Yi Chen steadied his mind and replied softly, ¡°I am from the cemetery in Easton Town. I¡¯ve been working in the cemetery prior to this.¡± ¡°Merely working in a cemetery should not cause death to flow within one¡¯s body¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°William Behrens.¡± Upon receiving the name, the mysterious doctor turned and left without another word. After this dialogue, everyone, including Mr. Jeff who was leading the way, cast their gaze towards Yi Chen. Blond Edmund even clapped him on the shoulder, ¡°Wow! Mr. William, to think you¡¯ve captured the Doctor¡¯s attention¡­ Such occurrences are rare indeed; truly, it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s you.¡± The word ¡®Doctor¡¯ immediately made Yi Chen think of the organization name G&D, where Doctor was indeed a significant component. He didn¡¯t continue to feign understanding and tried asking: ¡°My life in the cemetery was mostly cut off from the outside world, and I¡¯m not very clear on the so-called ¡®Doctor¡¯s¡¯ significance. Could you explain it?¡± ¡°Gentleman & Doctor,¡± if it¡¯s to be explained simply, goes like this: Gentleman refers to spiritual cleanliness, eradicating and rooting out the negative spirits brought about by disease from the world and constantly self-monitoring to ensure the perfection and cleanliness of human nature. Doctor refers to physical cleanliness, employing the most direct means, using ¡®medical equipment¡¯ to eliminate the sources of disease that pervade the world. Within the organization, any gentleman awarded the ¡®Doctor Certificate¡¯ is undoubtedly a true powerhouse in eliminating disease roots. Of course, some among them are also adept at treating and healing diseases; as long as one isn¡¯t completely dead, even if they are half a step into the Nether River, they can still pull you back. In essence, they are incredibly powerful. Keep it up, with your talent, William, perhaps one day you can also become a doctor.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°We are peers after all; we should look out for each other in the future.¡± After the casual talk, the walk continued. Zion City isn¡¯t very large, but fully exploring every corner is no easy task. After about an hour and a half of walking, the architectural density of the street started to thin out, the winding paths gradually broadening and straightening into a clear main road, lined on both sides with extravagantly designed ¡®Stone-statue Ghost Street Lights¡¯¡ªthe sculptures of gargoyles stood about five meters tall, each holding a lantern emanating white light from an Everlasting Coal Oil Lamp. At the end of the main road lay a Black Bridge, broad, straight, and lengthy, distinctly different from the previously seen circular arch bridge, not to mention it was of a completely different caliber. The bridge surface was also covered with a layer of mist. Clearly, this bridge served as a ¡®dividing line¡¯ for the Street District, and the other end likely connected to a significant area of Zion. After crossing the nearly one-kilometer-long Black Bridge, the gate at the bridgehead was already wide open, a massive mansion in the style of an Ancient Castle stood erect, the building blocks used for the structure were large, roughly hewn stones, whose surface somehow gave off a visual impression somewhere between stone and skin. When Yi Chen gazed at this mansion with a skin-like appearance, a sensation of palpitation spontaneously arose; for an instant, it reminded him of Fish Scale Abyss he had once mentally visited¡­ The two seemed to possess some profound similarity. Or perhaps it was a sense of age, a primal oldness far beyond Yi Chen¡¯s understanding. ¡°Is this the ¡®Divine Skin Mansion¡¯?¡± Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Assessment Review Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Assessment Review [Divine Skin Mansion] One of the most emblematic and important buildings of the G&D Organization. It was the origin of the organization and also key to its development and training of outstanding gentlemen. All newcomers arriving at Zion from external assessments were brought here, bestowed with the ¡°Skin¡± corresponding to their assessment level ¨C an essential item to become a ¡®gentleman¡¯. The mansion¡¯s main door was a typical Gothic gate, constructed of multiple layers of arches and pillars, recessing step by step, creating a profound sense of depth and pull, thereby emphasizing the [Entrance]. The specifications of the door were even more exaggerated, standing at a full 10 meters tall, the oversize design seemingly served to welcome not humans but a deity. Whoom! The gloomy and heavy iron door opened inwards. The door-openers were two permanently stationed clergy members of the mansion, dressed in special coats that matched the style of the mansion, appearing stitched together like skin from a hairless animal, with each piece of skin shaped pentagonally, and the seams prominently stitched together, similar ¡®stitch lines¡¯ could also be found on their bodies, like lips, eyelids, necks, and even parts covered by their garments¡­ It was as if the skin of these clergy members were also pieced together by stitching. Stepping inside the mansion, a flesh-colored carpeted grand staircase came into view, the steps gradually widened, able to accommodate guests proceeding to the corridors on the left and right of the second floor, with six portraits hanging on either side of the hall, representing past owners of the mansion, all referred to by the common title of [First Gentleman]. Only they were qualified to govern this mansion, ¡­ Yi Chen and others did not ascend the staircase but were led to a side room on the first floor. It resembled a conference room, with a long marble table occupying half of the space, where the gentleman assessor responsible for overseeing the Green Lake Town assessments was sitting on the inside of the table. The assessors were required to line up neatly, giving an impression similar to that of attending an interview. Walking last, Yi Chen noticed, sitting in the central position was a white-haired assessor with a white feathered owl perched on his shoulder¡­ the very one that had rescued him over the lake. ¡°I am the main person in charge of this assessment, [George Chamberlain].¡± I am very pleased that seventeen people passed the rather difficult Green Lake Town assessment, and some even performed actions exceeding our expectations during the period.¡± We will now score your overall performance during the assessment.¡± The full score is [100],¡± with scores above 40 earning the right of residency in Zion. Scores above 60 earn an ordinary ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯,¡± scores above 80 earn a ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ retaining old-world aura, and those scoring above 95 will have the chance to meet the contemporary [First Gentleman] who will personally judge and bestow the Skin.¡± Some gentlemen who already knew the assessment criteria simply disregarded the final statement, as the organization¡¯s scoring was extremely strict, especially with this year¡¯s chief examiner also known as the ¡®White Eagle,¡¯ achieving a score of 80 was already outstanding, promising superior treatment in Zion thereafter. Following the order of entry, the examiner began to comment on each candidate. Naturally, Yi Chen was the last. Since the Green Lake Town assessment was challenging, most scored above the pass mark. Those who reached 80 included: Three members of Edmund¡¯s team, a swordsman wrapped in bandages, and a young man with an extremely low presence but who somehow changed into a floral suit and wore a colorful mask. A box with the G&D logo, made of ancient stone, was handed to them. Edmund, unable to hide his joy, kept bumping his shoulders against his two companions. Finally, it was Yi Chen¡¯s turn, the last to enter, Blond Edmund also curbed his happiness, suppressed his excitement, focusing on the upcoming comments and scoring from the examiners. This time, the chief examiner Chamberlain spoke personally: ¡°From Easton Cemetery, the temporary assessor ¨C William Behrens. ¡°Your final score for this assessment is ¡¯96.''¡± With these words, the room fell utterly silent, all the assessors, including Edmund, widened their eyes in astonishment; even the man in the colorful suit and mask turned his head slightly, observing with a mild interest. Many among them hailed from families, training bases, or various medium and small-sized organizations directly under G&D. Everyone was well aware how difficult, almost impossible, it was to meet with the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ by scoring 95 in the assessment. For many consecutive years, no one had reached this score. Teacher Qian Bosen continued: ¡°Since the score has surpassed the first tier, I will briefly explain the reasons. In the early days of his arrival in town, William chose a quite different investigative route from yours, proactively contacted a ¡®Patient¡¯ at the early stage of ¡®Pathological¡¯ condition, lived alone in a highly dangerous inn, and after making accurate, smart decisions to discover the true disease root behind the town, he opted to assist this somewhat self-aware ¡®Patient¡¯ to establish a temporary alliance and gained their assistance and intelligence.¡± In the end, risking certain death, he traveled to the depths of the lake to eliminate the ¡®Root.¡¯ ¡°What?!¡± The narrative of Qian Bosen astonished the assessors even more, and they were very aware, that individuals who had not yet been accepted to wear the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ and thus officially become gentlemen were almost unable to eradicate regional Pathological conditions. Just surviving in Green Lake Town and gathering key information for the organization was already commendable. This young man, however, ventured alone into the entirely unknown lake to slay the deepest Root. 96 points, truly deserved, ¡°Elegant and compassionate, brave and spiritually aware¡­ Zion has not seen such a young man in a very long while. I believe the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ too is eagerly looking forward to meeting you.¡± Even Yi Chen himself was quite surprised when hearing the evaluation from Qian Bosen, since he was not sure whether his actions of assisting the ¡®Patient¡¯ would be seen by the organization as ¡®improper conduct.¡¯ It now seemed that the organization was not inflexible, and that contact with ¡®Patients¡¯ under appropriate circumstances to achieve better outcomes was considered a ¡®spiritually aware¡¯ performance. ¡°The evaluation session is over. The candidates who achieved the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ please head to the Temple District and prepare for the ¡®Acceptance Ritual¡¯.¡± As the crowd began to disperse, Edmund gently patted Yi Chen on the shoulder, ¡°William, do lead us more in the future¡­ I hope you make a favorable impression on the First Gentleman.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After everyone had left, White Eagle Qian Bosen waved to Yi Chen, ¡°I will personally take you to the ¡®Deep in the Mansion,¡¯ where the First Gentleman resides. During the journey, refrain from any impolite subjective actions and just follow me. If you feel any discomfort in your skin, try to endure it as much as possible.¡± This last statement made Yi Chen somewhat cautious, and indeed, that the First Gentleman, and thus the master of the Divine Skin Mansion, was located deep in the mansion suggested there indeed were unspeakable secrets. ¡°Understood.¡± Qian Bosen turned one of the wall lamps at the edge, revealing a narrow passage only wide enough for one person, ¡°Come with me¡­ Do not attempt to memorize the internal route. The path to the ¡®Deep in the Mansion¡¯ is one-time, one-directional, and it requires the First Gentleman¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Walking through the narrow passageways of the mansion, lit by kerosene lamps, it took over ten minutes. The cramped passageway turned into a spiraling, eerie staircase, and the moment Yi Chen stepped on the staircase, a strange whisper echoed in his ears, although he could not understand the meaning, it caused a tingling sensation across all his skin and slowly evolved into a sensation of stripping¡­ as if his skin was bestowed with self-awareness and wanted to detach itself from his body. ¡°Hey!¡± A sudden alert from Little Grape brought him back to reality as the whispering ceased. ¡°Just now¡­¡± ¡°This ancient existence hidden within the mansion attempted to ¡®Skin Strip¡¯ you. Be cautious~ Do not leave any gaps in your focus; I¡¯ll also lend you a hand.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen could feel that at this moment, Little Grape was in an unprecedentedly serious state. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 27 The 1st Gentleman Chapter 28: Chapter 27 The 1st Gentleman As Yi Chen was influenced by ¡°Skin Stripping¡± from deep within the Official Residence, Qian Bosen deliberately paused and waited, but offered no assistance. Minutes passed, and when Yi Chen had recovered, he softly spoke his assessment. ¡°It would be even better if you could withstand the ¡®Whispers of Divine Skin¡¯ by your own will next time. We still need to walk for half an hour, before meeting the First Gentleman, I have some personal questions to ask you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What else did you experience during the process of eliminating the ¡®Watcher¡¯ at the bottom of the lake? Did you see any special scenes beyond the assessment area?¡± Yi Chen had no intention of concealing anything, and he detailed his experiences of being mentally attacked by a giant eye, his consciousness being packaged and sent to the Abyss Laboratory, especially the epic music echoing in his mind, the figure dressed symbolizing the final state of the fish, and the gold frame appearing above his head, just as Yi Chen was about to mention the ancient name on the frame, snap! Qian Bosen, walking ahead, spun around superfast and covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°Beware of uttering such ancient, origin-nature names, not only will it cause severe, fundamental Pathological effects on you, but it might also expose the specific locations of Zion and the Divine Skin Mansion, given that you have not fully joined the organization and it¡¯s your first offense, I will not pursue this matter. Surviving such circumstances indeed qualifies you to meet the First Gentleman.¡± ¡°Mr. Qian Bosen, what exactly is the fish species in the abyss?¡± ¡°Beings of ancient times, related to the ¡®Origin¡¯¡­ far beyond your reach, I too only know the tip of the iceberg. As for more information, when you reach a sufficient level, seek it out yourself. Let¡¯s not get sidetracked, tell me about your experience in the Seven-Day Graveyard.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± When Qian Bosen found out that Yi Chen was just an ordinary person with no formal training, externally hired, he was quite surprised, an ordinary person who, just by receiving enhanced senses, had managed to kill a newly transformed Patient¡­ such a case is almost unseen across all areas governed by the organization. Not to mention, Yi Chen had also adopted Pathological Traits afterward. ¡°No wonder Albert recommended you so actively~ I believe the First Gentleman will also be pleased to have such special new blood joining the organization.¡± As they chatted, the two had descended a hundred meters down the spiral staircase, Qian Bosen took out a unique high-rank seal, unlocking the iron door that sealed the lowest level of the staircase, creeeak¡ª Due to continuously moving through wall crevices and the spiral staircase in such a narrow space, a sense of claustrophobia overwhelmed his mind. As the iron door opened, the sense of space expanded tens of times, and they were greeted by the warm light of candles, sweeping away the claustrophobia. However, Yi Chen felt no relief, instead feeling even more oppressed and uneasy. The so-called ¡°Deep within the Official Residence¡± turned out to be a medieval church buried deep underground. The nave was high, the aisles on either side low, long rows of pillars guiding visitors towards the altar. But this underground church had no windows, it seemed uninterested in receiving the divine light descending from Heaven, nor in communicating with ¡®the above¡¯ in any form, instead of windows, there were square niches carved out between the walls, within which candles were placed, creating light artificially, signifying a certain belief and resolve of the organization. Next, what made Yi Chen extremely anxious and even more eerie were the ¡®design¡¯ and ¡®entities¡¯ [Above the Altar] hung a ¡®human¡¯ whose life or death was unclear, the reason for the quotes was that his physical structure and proportions were human-like, but he was nearly six meters tall. His scruffy white hair falling over a middle-aged face, covering his body was an old, hole-ridden black suit with a few patches, ¡ÚAdditional Organisms¡Û six foreign organisms were additionally sewn onto his body, only four of which were visible externally. 1. An old arm installed on the right scapula, 2. A sea-blue eye embedded in the back of the head, 3. An ear fitting on the back of the right hand, 4. A spine covered with skin, connected to the lumbar vertebrae, extending out like a tail, Not visible: 5. A white skin stitched to the chest, featuring strange tattoos, 6. A human-faced heart, fully implanted in the right chest, functioning normally. All six foreign tissues came from former First Gentlemen, bearing their traits and will from before their deaths. ¡ÚSuspension Method¡Û Chains from the top of the church, wrapped around his limbs, Nails pierced into his back¡¯s skin, transversely penetrating his nape, the whole person suspended in a cruciform above the altar, these iron chains touching his flesh seemed to have been bestowed with some kind of liveliness, the cold steel became warm, and the surface even began to sprout flesh-colored skin. This was Alexis King Claude, the seventh master of the Divine Skin Mansion. ¡°This is the First Gentleman¡­¡± Upon seeing this scene, Yi Chen became puzzled about the reward he was about to receive, and even started to feel uneasy. As he approached the steps in front of the altar with White Eagle, the First Gentleman¡¯s eyes slowly opened, and for a moment, Yi Chen¡¯s skin all over his body began to wriggle. ¡°Since the jury has given you a very high appraisal, step onto the final Holy Rank, and accept my skin,¡± he said. ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Yi Chen realize that the highest-tier reward, ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± was directly taken from the master of Divine Skin Mansion. Though unaware of the ¡°skin¡¯s¡± utility, it was bound to greatly assist his future development, he took a deep breath. Without much hesitation, Yi Chen ensured to maintain a standard posture and graceful demeanor as much as possible, and as he stepped onto the stair, clang clang~ the iron chains moved. The once-suspended First Gentleman, Claude, landed on the altar, bending over to gaze at the small youth before him, ¡°Come into contact with me.¡± He extended his hand at the same time, their palms met, and in that instant, Yi Chen could no longer control the ¡®sex change¡¯ of his skin, which became completely uncontrollable, flowing like a liquid. Similarly, there was an indescribable feeling of skin flowing toward him like a liquid. It was like a ¡®Skin Swap¡¯. This sensation of liquid flowing, involuntarily reminded him of a memory that should have been deleted, a black sea filled with ink, the sense of the tide¡¯s flow sweeping away a part of something inside his body. Hum! During the ¡®Skin Transmission¡¯ process, First Gentleman Claude suddenly felt a pull of death from within Yi Chen¡­ even slowly forming a small black vortex that actively sucked his skin. ¡°Death?¡± The old decaying arm attached to Claude¡¯s back suddenly swung! Forcibly interrupting the contact between the two. However, immersed in the acceptance state, Yi Chen was completely unaware of what was happening outside, until he opened his eyes again, there was an additional 10cm¡Á10cm ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± in his hand, he could distinctly feel that the skin was alive. At the same moment, White Eagle Qian Bosen standing below the step also revealed a rare surprised expression, ¡°Such a large piece?¡± He had seen some extremely excellent newcomers who had met the First Gentleman before, but had never seen anyone receive such a large piece of skin. Clang clang~ the iron chains moved, the First Gentleman returned to a suspended state. Simultaneously, a black box appeared above the altar. ¡°Keep your ¡®skin¡¯ and proceed to the acceptance ceremony¡­ I too am curious to see what kind of gentleman you will be identified as,¡± he said. ¡°Yes.¡± Yi Chen quickly approached the altar, placed the skin into the box, and held it in his arms. Before parting, the First Gentleman added a phrase, more meant for White Eagle to hear. ¡°From the skin contact just now, I find your constitution very ordinary, devoid of any basic training¡­ more like an ¡®outsider¡¯. Qian Bosen, this young man¡¯s basic training needs to be accelerated, requiring much more time than others. If necessary, it¡¯s possible to apply to the institute for a long-term secluded study. In any case, this matter is up to you. Talent must be properly cultivated, for we do not have much time left.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The conversation ended. The white skin additionally attached to the First Gentleman¡¯s chest bore an incomprehensible ancient pattern. ¡°Space Squeezing¡± In an instant, Yi Chen and Qian Bosen had returned to the assessment review¡¯s side hall. As if the encounter with the First Gentleman had merely occurred in a fleeting dream, feeling the black box in his hand and the lively Gentleman¡¯s Skin inside, the thrill of harvesting top-tier spoils surged with excitement, joy, and satisfaction, ¡°Heading to the bottom of the lake¡­ was indeed the right choice.¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 28: The Letter Chapter 29: Chapter 28: The Letter He had put in the effort and was receiving the due reward, which was one of the necessary elements in building a society¡ª¡¯fairness¡¯. In that moment, Yi Chen received a recompense that equated to his efforts in Green Lake Town, a recompense that thrilled him beyond words for often in his life, his desperate efforts had only yielded pitiful results. However, even though Yi Chen had received the highest grade of ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± he did not know what use it actually served. ¡°Mr. Qian Bosen, what is this skin used for? Is it perhaps to obtain the power contained within the skin through a ritual?¡± ¡°It seems Wilbert really hasn¡¯t told you anything¡­ He sent you straight to us without even the basic training, which is just like his style. The skin will officially make you a ¡®Gentleman¡¯. The others are waiting for you. Let¡¯s talk as we walk.¡± Having reached the main hall of the Divine Skin Mansion, they proceeded up the large staircase carpeted in flesh color, heading to the side corridor on the second floor. Before reaching the area where the ritual was to take place, Yi Chen had one more question to confirm. ¡°If I obtain some form of ability from the Skin Limbo, could it conflict with the ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯ I already possess?¡± The stern Qian Bosen seemed very patient at this moment. ¡°Not at all. ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± doesn¡¯t bestow you with any ability, its essence is a kind of ¡°medium,¡± once activated through the ritual, Gentleman¡¯s Skin will connect you to a ¡®Growth System¡¯ that transcends human limits. It¡¯s due to such connections that the organization exists, that we gather in Zion, and that mankind glimpses a ray of hope for survival in this world, at all costs.¡± ¡°A medium¡­ Connecting me to some kind of growth system?¡± Yi Chen could roughly understand the meaning, which was, in simple terms, that he could grow stronger through the skin. Qian Bosen continued, ¡°Whether it is the skin given to other Assessors, or this skin you received from the First Gentleman, once activated, your ¡®Consciousness¡¯ will be transferred to the ¡®Old Hall¡¯ under the mediation of the skin. There, you will receive 1 to 3 letters, depending on your own traits, but you may only choose one.¡± ¡°Each letter represents a profession, which will determine the path of your future as a Gentleman. Among them, the color of the letters and their nature are very important, and because time is of the essence, I will only say this once, so you must remember well!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°There are four colors of letters¡ªwhite, blue, black, purple. Among them, 1. White letters are the most common, corresponding to ¡®Ordinary Professions,¡¯ which are the principal choice among the vast gentleman community. Although common, Zion City has seen some remarkable individuals. 2. Blue letters are less common, corresponding to ¡®Rare Professions,¡¯ which often excel in particular areas. With targeted training for their uniqueness, these gentlemen can become pivotal within the organization. Some Rare Professions may develop into ¡®Doctors.¡¯ 3. The appearance of black letters relates to the individual¡¯s Heart, corresponding to ¡®Nightmare Professions.¡¯ These professions tend to be dark and evil, clashing with the ideals of some gentlemen. Over a hundred years ago, the organization established a special department specifically to receive and train gentlemen who choose Nightmare Professions. They often have a strong ability to eliminate, serving as the organization¡¯s Executioners. Some powerful gentlemen who chose black letters are widely known and often called ¡®Main Doctors¡¯ 4. The appearance of purple letters also relates to the individual, but exactly what that connection is, we do not know. Corresponding to ¡®Unique Professions,¡¯ unlike the other three colors, the professions granted by purple letters are specially designed for the individual, utterly unique. These professions are filled with mystery and have great variability. Some outstanding gentlemen who chose purple letters even spent their whole lives in Zion City, unable to eliminate external pathogens. Overall, no matter what letter, the cover will be stamped with an ¡®Emblem¡¯ representing the profession, be sure to carefully consider before making a choice.¡± This substantial bestowment of ¡°Professions¡± was far more authentic than those defined by humans in the previous world. Hearing such a description made Yi Chen even more excited. Qian Bosen continued, ¡°The ¡®Skin¡¯ you received originated from the First Gentleman, its mediating effect will be maximized, which means there¡¯s a greater chance for blue letters to appear. ¡°Of course, if there is a Black Letter, you can also make a choice based on the specific situation.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s a Purple one?¡± ¡°Its unpredictability is too great, I personally wouldn¡¯t recommend it¡­ but this is your own matter, so don¡¯t let my words influence you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± During the conversation between Yi Chen and Qian Bosen. The little grape hidden within the body also had its own thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it~ William, which path will you eventually choose? If it¡¯s a path that¡¯s too conservative and uninteresting, I might just run away on my own.¡± [Ritual Room] In the expansive circular hall, eleven clergy members from within the Divine Skin Mansion had already drawn an array using some sort of viscous flesh-colored liquid. Embedded were a total of 17 small ring seals, exactly corresponding to the number of assessors. As Qian Bosen led Yi Chen through the doors, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the black box in Yi Chen¡¯s hands, not without a trace of greed. Blond Edmund didn¡¯t seem to care about anything, waving hurriedly: ¡°William, come on~ everyone is waiting for you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yi Chen quickly stood at the last ring seal on the array, Following the clergy¡¯s instructions, he took out the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± from the box, covering his head like a headscarf, the ritual began, each clergy member muttered utterly different, incomprehensible ancient dialects. However, the overlapping of the tones allowed these fragmented languages to combine, forming a complete and powerful spell, driving the array¡¯s operations. Hum! This sensation was something Yi Chen had experienced once before at the bottom of the lake, it was the subtle sensation of having his consciousness pulled from his body, the difference this time, was that he was doing this voluntarily, without any discomfort or unease, like a fully soaped bar of soap, accidentally slipped from the palm and fell precisely into the toilet, carried away by the flush. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in an ancient stone chamber with an old-world charm. The place lacked the complicated structures, openwork carvings, and lavish decorations found inside the Divine Skin Mansion, resembling a crudely excavated simple cavern, only placing a stone table at the center, nothing else. All other assessors and clergy had vanished, leaving only Yi Chen here. The ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± that originally covered his head had unknowingly moved to the surface of the stone table, The skin writhed, seemingly deliberately covering something¡­ from what Qian Bosen explained earlier, Yi Chen could guess what it was. ¡°I wonder what kind of letter it will be.¡± Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, as his fingers touched the Gentleman¡¯s Skin that covered the letter, he could feel the life force flowing within it. He lifted it forcefully. [Blue] ¨C Copperplate paper material, the surface printed with a pattern of ivy, complemented by a human-shaped branch puzzle, [Black] ¨C Sheepskin paper material, the surface printed with an image of a skeleton rowing a boat, [Purple] ¨C White cardstock material, the surface printed with an open book, with tiny text even invisible to the naked eye inscribed inside. Three different colored envelopes entered his view, If this scene was witnessed by other gentlemen of Zion City, there wouldn¡¯t be one who wouldn¡¯t be shocked speechless. The mere appearance of a blue envelope was already rare enough, not to mention, the simultaneous occurrence of three special letters, this might not have happened for decades, ¡°This¡­¡± Although Yi Chen had never suffered from indecision, he was completely stunned at this moment. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Choice Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Choice ¡°A letter is a profession, and once opened, it will determine the growth path of my future, dictate my treatment, life, and my subsequent exploration of the world¡¯s limits in Zion City. To some extent, it even decides the maximum time I can survive in this world. I can¡¯t rush. I must think slowly and make a decision. Neither Chamberlain nor the clergy at the Official Residence mentioned a ¡®time limit,¡¯ so staying here for a while should be fine.¡± Yi Chen also tried calling out to Little Grape, hoping it would offer some advice. Unfortunately, only his consciousness had come to this place. He calmed his heart and called upon the full concentration he used when conducting research. The first thing he observed was the blue envelope. ¡°The Evergreen Vine Circle, encircling tree branches like those of a person¡­ Clearly related to the ¡®Pathological Characteristic¡¯ within me, it must correspond to a plant-related growth path. Once chosen, I could further develop the plant system. Moreover, Mr. Wilbert once said that the Pathological Crystal I ingested is of high quality in both color and shape. During my assessment in Green Lake Town, I profoundly experienced the conveniences that plants offer. But still, let¡¯s look at the others first.¡± Yi Chen¡¯s gaze shifted to the black envelope, When he carefully observed the sailing skeleton on it, the parchment envelope actually released strands of faint black mist, which Yi Chen inhaled through his nose. In an instant, his thoughts were pulled toward a vast black sea, where a skeleton, alone in a wooden boat, floated on the surface. When the skeleton turned its head, half of its rotting face was still there¡­ identical to Yi Chen¡¯s. The sudden scare snapped him back to reality. ¡°The black sea¡­ I¡¯ve seen a similar scene before when I accepted First Gentleman¡¯s skin. An inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if I had been there, seems related to death. When I first arrived in Zion and happened to meet the Doctor on an arch bridge, he too mentioned that I have death flowing in me. Could it be because of ¡®transcending¡¯? Is the appearance of the black envelope related to my experience of death and transcendence?¡± Recalling what Chamberlain said about the black envelope, corresponding to the Nightmare Profession, once chosen, I would receive special training from the Organization to become an Executioner. Yi Chen did not reject this title. Intuition told him, the path of growth the black envelope offered would certainly bestow upon him even greater strength. ¡°No hurry¡­ let¡¯s look at the purple one as well.¡± Compared to the others, the purple letter made of thick, white card stock seemed heavier and more exquisite. Paired with the library emblem imprinted on its surface, it resembled a purple gentleman perusing books in a library. ¡°The library emblem on the envelope surface seems to be inscribed with tiny text¡­ In reality, it probably needs a highly precise micro-engraving machine to imprint such text. Without the Visual Enhancement provided by Little Grape, I simply can¡¯t see clearly. Wait a minute~ If this place is only accessible to a consciousness, could it be understood that the so-called ¡®Old Hall¡¯ is also a kind of consciousness area, like a dream? If that¡¯s the case, maybe my subjective thoughts could influence objective factors?¡± With this thought, Yi Chen tried to open his eyes as wide as possible, nearly pressing his bulging eyeballs onto the purple letter. However, the prolonged stare actually magnified his field of vision, and the previously unreadable text gradually became clearer, When it was completely visible, ¡°This¡­¡± Yi Chen was so startled that he stepped back repeatedly, and pinched his own skin to confirm that what was happening before him was not a dream. To verify he wasn¡¯t seeing things, Yi Chen returned to the stone table and looked again in the same manner¡­ This time, he looked longer and more carefully. ¡°Why¡­ is my thesis printed on it?¡± Among the book imprints on the purple letter, those tiny texts were indeed the graduation thesis Yi Chen had devoted so much effort to writing before his death. On the left side of the book, the text corresponded to the cover of the thesis, including the title, Yi Chen¡¯s and the tutor¡¯s names. On the right side was the thesis abstract. These all-too-familiar words pulled Yi Chen back into painful memories, and for a time, he gave up on the purple letter. Before long, Yi Chen calmed down and began to think about the whole situation again. ¡°The blue letter corresponds to the ¡®Pathological Characteristic¡¯ I just acquired on this side, the black letter seems related to transcendence, corresponding to some Death Attribute, and the purple letter to my experiences before death. As Mr. Chamberlain said, the letters are closely related to me. At a glance, the first two are better, but¡­ plants signify vitality, black signifies death. If I choose either as my growth path, the balance within me will be disturbed, the chosen attribute will inhibit the development of the other, or even completely extinguish it. If I want to develop them in combination, the purple letter is the only choice. Should I take this risk?¡± Yi Chen looked at the purple letter again, his gaze focusing on the book emblem on the envelope. In that moment, he recalled every detail of his life before, whether it was in the hopeless orphanage, or attending the local school after escaping. He never missed an opportunity to read, it was the lines of text between the covers of books that inspired him to survive in the world he lived in before, shaping a correct ¡®outlook on life¡¯ during his subsequent education, giving him the chance to become a ¡®person¡¯¡­ Fighting his way through the relatively fair path of learning, he won scholarships every year and made it all the way to graduate school. [Books] were the dawn of his life before death. ¡°Purple, corresponding to a unique [Profession]¡­ Books and reading were also the most important things to me before death, and the things I was best at.¡± As Yi Chen gradually made up his mind, an intuition also formed simultaneously, without any further hesitation, he picked up the purple envelope from the stone table, tore it open! The text recorded in the letter turned into a strong and scorching beam of light, flooding into his eyes, penetrating his brain. He could even faintly smell something like a burnt brain. Buzz! When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the ritual room. Whew~ Whew! Yi Chen knelt on one knee, gasping for breath¡­ His entire head was emitting billowing white smoke. The other Assessors had also completed their ¡®Letter Selection¡¯ On certain parts of their bodies, such as the palm, neck, and chest, the emblem of the chosen letter had emerged. Blond Edmund had the pattern of ¡®Gun and Sword Interweaving¡¯ branded on the right side of his neck, still smoking, as if it had just been branded. The giant Dagbert had the pattern ¡®Arm showing the bicep¡¯ branded on his right upper arm, obviously related to a [Profession] involving strength. Juliana¡¯s emblem was branded around her waist, with the pattern ¡®Dagger Stabbing Skull,¡¯ perhaps related to assassination. George Chamberlain, the person in charge of this assessment scanned the emblems on everyone with eyes like an owl, showing quite a satisfied expression. ¡°This batch of newcomers is quite good, with a high proportion of Rare Professions, and the integration process went quite smoothly, and a few newcomers can be tried for key cultivation¡­ Huh?¡± When Chamberlain¡¯s gaze finally fell on Yi Chen, no matter what angle he used, he couldn¡¯t find the ¡®Emblem¡¯ ¡°Failed!?¡± Yi Chen was the newcomer he was most optimistic about, and he had also gained the appreciation of the First Gentleman, stepping directly into the Array, ready to give Yi Chen, whose brain was smoking, a full-body checkup. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Private Conversation Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Private Conversation Although his consciousness had just returned and his head felt a bit groggy, Yi Chen was still fairly aware of his surroundings, and naturally noticed the arrival of the high-rank gentleman Qian Bosen, who examined him closely by pressing his eyes against Yi Chen¡¯s body. Meanwhile, every person present, including the Assessors and Clergy, watched him as though something were missing. Goo-goo~ The owl perched on Qian Bosen¡¯s shoulder hooted. ¡°Here?¡± Following the owl¡¯s sensing, Qian Bosen shifted his gaze to the back of Yi Chen¡¯s head, parting his hair with his fingers as much as possible so Vision could fully seep into the scalp, observing the situation inside the cranial cavity closely. A complete brain came into view, where the normally irregular arrangement of the brain¡¯s grooves had rearranged at the back. The meaty stripes and notches in the rear brain area interconnected and combined to form a [Professional Emblem]¡ªan open book that was symmetrical on both sides. With each breath of the body, oxygen was delivered to the space between cranial bones, and the brain squirmed as it absorbed oxygen, creating the illusion of flipping pages on the [book] at the back of the brain, even the tiny letters on the surface of the book seemed alive, changing content as they twisted and contorted. ¡°This!¡± Having been in Zion for so many years, Qian Bosen had never seen such a sight before and was momentarily stunned. He stood still, glued to the back of Yi Chen¡¯s head, and it took him a full three minutes to realize that his behavior was highly improper, so he promptly stood up to compose himself. Cough cough~ ¡°The ceremony went quite smoothly this time, without exception, everyone has acquired their corresponding [Profession]. However, you are still one step away from becoming true gentlemen. Before officially accepting the organization¡¯s ¡®training,¡¯ you will have two days of free time, and shortly a guide will take you to your temporary residence in Zion City. Please be sure to complete your ¡®custom clothing¡¯ during the remaining time, failure to complete the customization or if the custom clothing is not up to the standard will result in delayed training and demerits.¡± As Qian Bosen finished speaking, a strong cheer erupted in the ritual room, quickly subsiding. Everyone suppressed their excitement, quietly discussing the [Professions] they had accepted among themselves. Blond Edmund also hurried over to Yi Chen¡¯s side, attempting to locate the ¡®Emblem¡¯ on him. ¡°Eh? William~ is your emblem hidden in a very secret place? How about this, my family has connections with a very nice [tailor shop] in Zion City, let¡¯s go together later?¡± Yi Chen did not object to this proposition, after all, he was not familiar with the place or the process of ¡®custom clothing.¡¯ However, White Eagle Qian Bosen by his side cast a sharp look and said sternly, ¡°Due to the special nature of William Behrens¡¯ personal circumstances, I will personally take care of his accommodation and clothing issues.¡± Blond Edmund naturally understood the implication of these words and, after throwing a ¡®see you later¡¯ look at Yi Chen, left with his team members. The rest of the Assessors were either uniformly led to their temporary lodgings, or like Edmund from a prominent family, could directly go to a family that had settled in Zion and stay in their residence. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Under Qian Bosen¡¯s lead, the two first headed to a high-class restaurant named [Brusar]. They were seated in a private room at the deepest part of the establishment. As various exquisite dishes were served, Qian Bosen deliberately emphasized privacy to the waiter, ensuring no disturbance during the mealtime that followed. The subsequent dining experience made Yi Chen somewhat uncomfortable, as Qian Bosen¡¯s movements were incredibly gentlemanly, even the angle at which he cut his food with knife and fork, as well as the time the food lingered in his mouth, were kept consistently uniform. Yi Chen could only try to learn on the spot, ¡°No need to force it. Later, when you go through systematic learning, you will naturally re-learn gentlemanly etiquette¡­ After all, before coming here, you were just an external worker in a cemetery.¡± Feel free to help yourself, this is the reward you deserve.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Since the other party had already said so, Yi Chen, who had been famished for a while, directly grabbed the largest bowl of vegetable salad and devoured it in a few bites. The little grape didn¡¯t want to be outdone, popping out of the collar, jumping to the dining table, and using its mouth to suck out the eyeballs of a flatfish as an appetizer, then unabashedly gnawing on other meaty dishes. Only after the little grape had licked the oily residue on the plates clean did it obediently nestle back onto his shoulder. Qian Bosen watched the chaotic dinner table and murmured softly, ¡°¡­ You¡¯ll need to seriously learn manners in due time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point¡­ What choice did you exactly make in the ¡®Old Hall¡¯?¡± Yi Chen did not conceal anything and reported the situation truthfully, just when he reached the middle of his explanation, White Eagle Qian Bosen¡¯s pupils suddenly dilated, ¡°What? Blue, black, purple, three high-class letters appeared at once! How is that possible? Hurry up, and describe the emblems on each letter in detail.¡± When he spoke of the plant emblem on the blue letter, Qian Bosen analyzed on the side, ¡°Plants¡­ a rare and valuable support profession. Once you choose it, you¡¯ll become ¡®hot property¡¯ in Zion, with a multitude of Gentleman Teams casting you olive branches. If you wish to become a ¡®Doctor¡¯ afterward, it will be much easier and getting a Clinic qualification will be more convenient.¡± When he came to the black skull emblem, Qian Bosen¡¯s brow furrowed, his eagle-like gaze drilled into Yi Chen, ¡°The death aura accumulated and smeared in the graveyards shouldn¡¯t be enough to produce a death-associated Black Letter. Do you have any more direct association with ¡®Death¡¯? This is even rarer than plants. If you choose this path, you have the chance to become the most fearsome Gentleman of Death. However¡­ the emblem in your mind does not match this. Did you choose the ¡®Purple Letter¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Why would you choose an entirely unknown path when you had two excellent options available?¡± Qian Bosen, who had always been kind to Yi Chen, suddenly became exceedingly serious. It seemed a misunderstanding had arisen. He mistakenly thought the reason Yi Chen chose the Purple Letter was out of fear of pathogens from the outside world¡­ wanting to use the opportunity of the Purple Letter to stay in Zion and live a mundane life. ¡°Behrens,¡± Yi Chen enunciated his surname, earnestly expressing his final decision to pursue knowledge as his main goal while balancing both attributes. Upon hearing this explanation, the misunderstanding was immediately dispelled, and Qian Bosen suddenly stood up, spreading his arms wide. Even the owl on his shoulder, which seldom did so, spread its wings in echo of his action. ¡°Elegant!¡± Qian Bosen quickly resumed his seat, saying earnestly, ¡°Ahem~ Since the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ has given the instructions for me to be responsible for your basic training¡­ I will be your ¡®First Tutor¡¯ in Zion, and I¡¯ll take care of the necessary procedures. After all, I am a guest professor at the Omphalo-Centric-Academy. Your subsequent admission process will be much easier.¡± Yi Chen also changed how he addressed Qian Bosen at the first opportunity, ¡°Professor Qian Bosen, I have another question. As I have already completed my profession selection, how can I feel the changes brought by the profession? Or how do I examine the relevant information of this profession?¡± ¡°This is the important thing you must complete within the two days I gave you, and it is also the last link to becoming a Gentleman ¨C ¡®tailored clothing¡¯. Take your Gentleman¡¯s Skin, and come with me¡­¡± Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 31: The Tailor Shop in the Corner Chapter 32: Chapter 31: The Tailor Shop in the Corner Guided by Qian Bosen, they crossed the street bridge and took the elevator next to the road that led directly to the ¡°Lower Street Levels.¡± The street, divided into three layers, differed not only in vertical distance but also in style, population density, and the main businesses involved. The lower they went, the fewer the ¡®restrictions¡¯, so it was not uncommon to find entertainment venues on the Lower Street Levels that did not quite fit the ¡®gentlemanly¡¯ mold, generally leaning towards casual and entertaining, with fewer formal establishments. At this moment, Qian Bosen suddenly said, ¡°Most of the tailor shops in Zion are located in the upper street district, especially the shops along Academy Street, which have a long history and a prestigious reputation. But¡­ your Skin is quite different. Even for the tailor shops directly affiliated with the Academy, I¡¯m not sure they could perfectly handle such Skin. I have an old friend, who for certain reasons was forced to open his tailor shop deep in the Lower Street Levels¡­ He had reached the level of a senior tailor thirty years ago, and his skills can surely make good use of this Skin. And he also very much enjoys highly challenging tasks.¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen recalled that the ready-made garment he was wearing had also come from a tailor shop under the organization. The proprietress had mentioned that once he passed the assessment, he could get a free custom outfit opportunity. ¡°Professor Qian Bosen, it seems that there are still many tailor shops set up outside by the organization?¡± ¡°Indeed, the tailor shop is one of the important organizational institutions (Institution) For a gentleman, it is indispensable, a vital supply station. Every tailor shop established outside receives financial support from the organization and gentlemen on missions abroad can enjoy free basic services in the tailor shops, cleansing pathological physical bodies, repairing damaged outfits, taking on local tasks or collecting rewards, and it also serves as a Safe House and a temporary refuge. We have always been selecting elite gentlemen with tailor talents to set up external tailor shops, in order to combat the spread of Pathology and reduce the mortality rate among gentlemen.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± During casual conversation, the two squeezed through a narrow gap between buildings that was just wide enough for their bodies, and officially arrived deep in the Lower Street District at Chasm Street, aptly named, located between narrow gaps. Here, there were more recreational shops, and even most of the storefronts violated the overt regulations of Zion. The gentlemen walking here also seemed more relaxed, wearing masks to cover their faces and conceal their expressions. The seemingly strict Professor Qian Bosen accepted such a street, whispering, ¡°The gentleman¡¯s spirit allows us to maintain ¡®self¡¯ among the pathological world, but it¡¯s inevitable that there will be times of fatigue. As long as the gentlemen have enough self-control, using [Indulgence] as a temporary tool for decompression and seeking balance is actually a good thing.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Just then, a public phone booth not far from the two suddenly rang with an urgent bell. The fixed frequency in the bell seemed to convey a certain message. Qian Bosen instantly squeezed into the cramped phone booth and held the old handset to his ear. He did not say a word throughout, just silently listened to the sounds coming from the handset. After the call, when Qian Bosen stepped out of the phone booth, he took out a card printed with an owl¡¯s head and handed it to Yi Chen. ¡°I just received a notice for a meeting, so the matter of custom clothing can only be handled by you alone. The tailor shop is located at the end of the street; although it¡¯s quite remote, it¡¯s still rather conspicuous in such a place. Once you¡¯re inside the shop, hand this card to that old fellow, and he will naturally tailor the most suitable outfit for you.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± He bowed in thanks as he took the card, and when Yi Chen looked up, Qian Bosen had already disappeared. ¡°Speaking of which, my temporary lodging hasn¡¯t been arranged yet? Never mind¡­ I¡¯ll handle the custom clothing first, and think about the sleeping issue later. If necessary, I can even sleep on the streets.¡± To minimize trouble, Yi Chen pressed his fingers to his face, hiss~ he quickly crafted a green mask to cover his face. He also made an environmentally friendly plant-based carry bag, concealing the black box of the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± within it. Walking deep in the Lower Street District, the sides of the street featured many unmarked shops with half-closed doors, sometimes smelling fragrances, sometimes a hint of blood. Yi Chen finally suppressed his curiosity, as these places could wait until he became a gentleman to explore. Following Qian Bosen¡¯s description, he finally arrived at an even narrower street corner. A building infused with a rich Gothic style, its black architecture pulled Yi Chen¡¯s gaze towards it, equally devoid of any signage. Stepping up the stone steps at the entrance, just as he was about to knock on the front door, creak~ The door, painted in pitch-black, opened on its own, and the extremely dim interior did not reveal any sign of life. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Yi Chen cautiously stepped inside, Unlike the clothing store in Easton Town he had once visited, this place lacked any source of light, and there wasn¡¯t a single piece of clothing either. Instead, there were hundreds of life-sized, stone-carved ¡°human sculptures¡± arranged around, filling every corner of the room, dividing the vast open-plan space into winding narrow paths, creating a sensation of confinement. Even more eerie, perhaps because the facial features were not completed, all human sculptures had their heads covered with white cloth, ominous and mysterious. Besides, the corners of the room were piled with a large number of drawing boards, all featuring artwork related to the human body, some covered in cobwebs. ¡°Did I come to the wrong place?¡± Just as Yi Chen began to doubt if he had mistakenly entered a forsaken art gallery. Rustle~ A foreign sound came. A piece of white cloth drifted down onto Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, and at the same time, faint breathing noises came from behind, as he also felt bursts of cold air brushing against his neck, ¡°Hm!?¡± Yi Chen reached for the Hand Axe at his waist and turned around swiftly. He saw an unfinished sculpture of a human figure standing behind him, its rigid arm raised pointing towards a certain direction. Following the direction pointed by the hand, he faintly saw a staircase that led to the Second Floor, and at the same time, tap~ tap~ sounds of leather shoes and a cane overlapping came from the staircase. A middle-aged man slowly descended the stairs, wearing a brown beret, half of his face covered with a mask, dressed in a sharp suit. What is noteworthy is, his suit was divided into two colors, the left side black, right side red with a flame pattern (the right side of his face also covered by the mask). The man¡¯s right hand wore a rubber glove, barely managing to descend the stairs with the support of his cane, ¡°Who referred such a new recruit to come here?¡± ¡°Professor Qian Bosen was supposed to come with me, but he received a call for a meeting midway¡­ so I had to come alone.¡± Just as Yi Chen was preparing to step forward and present his owl business card. Click~ The human sculptures around him suddenly moved, mechanically raising their arms, blocking the way. ¡°Cough cough¡­ I can smell the owl¡¯s aura on you, no need for any credentials. You just need to tell me the reason you are here.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Without any ado, Yi Chen took out a 10¡Á10cm piece of ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± from between the black boxes, At the moment the skin was displayed, all the sculptures in the shop showed ¡®skin-peeling symptoms,¡¯ as layers of stone skin peeled off their bodies, revealing muscles and blood vessels (also made of stone). The shop owner standing by the staircase also widened his eyes, exclaiming, ¡°Such a large piece of ¡®Initial Skin¡¯? Store it away, such a thing is not suitable for lengthy exposure.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the skin was put back into the box, the agitation of the human sculptures also ceased, and Yi Chen added, ¡°Professor Qian Bosen specifically said, only you in Zion City could perfectly handle and process such ¡®Skin¡¯.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not wrong, those visible tailor shops mostly harbor a bunch of good-for-nothings, giving them such Skin would be a sheer waste. Follow me, the [Fully Customized] process is quite complex, requiring a good deal of patience.¡± Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 32 Tailor to the Fit Chapter 33: Chapter 32 Tailor to the Fit ¡°Custom Attire¡± This was the last step before becoming a gentleman, The Gentleman¡¯s Skin, As an important medium that links the Growth System, Its activation through the ritual allows individuals to complete their profession selection and, It will be utilized once more, processed by the hands of tailors into the essential [Attire] for every gentleman, The clothes made primarily from the Gentleman¡¯s Skin, Not only provide effective ¡°Pathological Isolation,¡± allowing gentlemen to confront pathogens head-on and permit them to venture into the mysterious and dangerous Grey Zone to conduct various investigations and clearance activities. It also allows for a more intuitive display of the connection between the individual and the Growth System, examining one¡¯s state. Different qualities of skin yield correspondingly different qualities of attire¡­ Of course, This is still just the initial attire, representing only a [Start]. Gentlemen who join the organization can also obtain more ¡®skin¡¯ by carrying out subsequent missions, and if they perform exceptionally well, they can even meet the First Gentleman. Skin obtained later, Can be used for completion, enhancement, or even remaking of the attire. However, Though the Gentleman¡¯s Skin obtained from the assessment is but a [Start], Yi Chen took this step a bit too far. ¡­ [Second Floor] A spacious floor with no obstructions to the view, The walls and ceiling were covered in large mirror panels, More like a dance studio, in stark contrast with the first floor crammed with humanoid statues. Customers just need to stand at the central position, And the shopkeeper can peer through their physical information via the mirrors, using this as the base parameters for [Full Customization]. This information includes ¡°Heart nature,¡± After carefully observing Yi Chen in such a manner, The shopkeeper let down his guard and introduced himself: ¡°My name is Kelor Ivan, owner of this Nameless tailor shop. I have long severed my cooperation with the organization and will not be responsible for the tailoring jobs assigned by the organization. I only help out friends when I¡¯m occasionally in a good mood. I didn¡¯t expect that such a rigid creature like the owl would have exceptions, privately referring you here¡­ But, to receive such a large piece of Initial Skin, it is indeed worth his serious attention. Before we proceed with full customization, I have several questions for you. Introduce yourself briefly, including your origin, important experiences, and especially your Letter Selection.¡± ¡°William Behrens¡­¡± Yi Chen began with his experiences in Seven-Day Cemetery, When Ivan, the shopkeeper, heard that this young man had ¡®converted halfway,¡¯ killing patients with an ordinary body and emerging at the top during the assessment, he couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes and look him up and down again. As he later heard about the existence of excellent blue and black options, And that Yi Chen, nevertheless, chose the highly uncertain Purple Letter, the shopkeeper became even more spirited. He did not ask for the reasons, But took a deep breath, As if about to take on a major project. ¡°You¡­ are indeed different from the others, and I fully understand the owl¡¯s reasons for choosing you now. Given the complexity of your situation, and the special nature of the skin you brought, [Full Customization] is expected to take 24 hours, and I¡¯ll need you to be on call during that time¡­ Until the attire is complete, you¡¯ll sleep here.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ pick a spot yourself. You¡¯ve been tagged as a ¡®guest,¡¯ so those stone sculptures down there won¡¯t attack you. Lastly, Be sure to maintain absolute silence in the tailor shop, Unless you hear my call, you are strictly forbidden from going to the Clothing Room to disturb my work.¡± Ivan, the shopkeeper, took the heavy black box, Moved with a shuffling gait toward a large mirror, pushing open a hidden door behind it. A wave of stimulant gas immediately wafted out, causing Yi Chen, who was several meters away, to feel slightly uncomfortable. Rather than a [Clothing Room], it seemed more like some special laboratory storing hazardous reagents. Yi Chen instinctively wanted to sneak a peek but was rebuffed by Ivan¡¯s stern look. Click! The secret door locked. With no other choice, Yi Chen could only shrug his shoulders and sit against the wall. ¡°Anyways, I haven¡¯t been officially assigned a place to stay, so lying here to rest for a day isn¡¯t too bad,¡± he thought. The mental exhaustion brought on by the professional ritual weighed heavily on his brain at this moment, and he soon fell asleep, curled up in the corner against the wall, However, during his sleep, he was woken up numerous times to undergo some very strange, and even perverse, measurements. For example: Inserting fine needles into the joints of his fingers to measure their internal diameters, or lifting his shirt to record the number of wrinkles around his navel, as well as the changes in rhythm that occurred when he stood, sat down, or lay flat. Even the more private ¡®back door¡¯ was measured for various values. One time, when he happened to wake up groggily, he found the store manager squatting in front of him, creepily noting something in a small book. Of course, there were times when it seemed more normal, He had gone through about five fittings for trial garments halfway through, and each time the store owner¡¯s face did not look very pleased, even revealing a hint of killing intent¡­ until the sixth time when a slightly satisfied expression finally appeared. Like this, Yi Chen spent the entire day in extreme unease, feeling as if at every moment he was being creepily spied upon and his body was being touched. With the final hour remaining until the estimated custom-tailoring time, Yi Chen still leaned against the wall, motionless, but his heart was gradually filled with anticipation, even imagining several different styles of gentleman¡¯s clothes. Just then, a series of sporadic footsteps came from downstairs, It seemed that another customer had arrived at the tailor shop, Thinking that his ¡°clothes¡± were in the final stages of production, Yi Chen hurried downstairs with steps light as feathers, trying to remind the other party to keep quiet. As he reached the stairway corner, he coincidentally bumped head-on into the mysterious guest, who wore a closed mask with no holes and was painted with colorful patterns. Paired with an exaggeratedly patterned suit, it looked as though various colors of paint had accidentally been spilled onto it. However, this unexpected proximity also allowed Yi Chen to detect a faint, refined scent, seemingly emanating from the other person¡¯s body. ¡°You are¡­¡± Yi Chen immediately recalled, this flamboyantly dressed young man was indeed one of his co-assessees, who was placed in the same scoring tier as Edmund and the others during the assessment phase. But he scored a [92], ranking second among the assessees, just behind Yi Chen. And in the brief summary of his assessment experience during the evaluation phase, this person had single-handedly killed the [Mayor] of Green Lake Town who had fully molted, and also achieved a ¡®thorough clearance¡¯ of the town hall¡­ Unfortunately, due to problems in the investigative approach, he didn¡¯t manage to touch on and eliminate the giant eye at the bottom of the lake like Yi Chen did. However, Yi Chen¡¯s impression of ¡®him¡¯ was limited to just this, as he had completely failed to notice this person upon entering the city. Suddenly, the colorful mask pressed close in an instant, even rubbing up against Yi Chen¡¯s face, back and forth. He could faintly hear the breathing from underneath the mask, as if it was sniffing Yi Chen¡¯s scent. This state lasted for a full minute before the mask was lifted, and a voice that blended both male and female tones, but leaned more towards the latter, came through: ¡°Hey~ man! With a physique like yours, how did you manage to kill the [Watcher]? And your ¡®Emblem¡¯ isn¡¯t visibly displayed either, it seems to be hidden in a more private area. Could you spare some time for me to thoroughly examine your body? Of course¡­¡± At this point, the person slightly adjusted his patterned gloves, placing his hands with fingers spread out on his slightly protruding chest. ¡°¡®Equal Exchange,¡¯ you can also inspect my body as you wish. Because my Emblem is also hidden in a very mysterious place~ What do you say?¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Ready-to-Wear Clothing Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Ready-to-Wear Clothing This extremely ungentlemanly and very shocking language caused Yi Chen to instinctively step back half a step. Moreover, It was impossible to determine the gender solely based on the other person¡¯s voice and costume. ¡°Not quite appropriate¡­¡± Yi Chen rejected it immediately. ¡°Tsk~ I thought you would be an interesting person, but it turns out you¡¯re as dull as those gentlemen. Being too restrained is no fun at all, considering we don¡¯t live long in this world¡­ If we¡¯re also bound by all sorts of frameworks, that¡¯d be too miserable, even more so than lions in a circus, don¡¯t you think? By the way, how did you meet Mr. Ivan?¡± Just then, the sound of a secret door opening came from the second floor, Yi Chen naturally couldn¡¯t care less about the odd person in front of him and rushed upstairs as fast as possible. However, the youth wearing a colorful mask also followed, almost keeping pace with Yi Chen¡­ even their footsteps overlapped perfectly. Shop owner Ivan, leaning on his cane, appeared slightly fatigued as he stepped out from the secret door, the half of his face not covered by a mask visibly more haggard than the day before. His gaze then fell on the other person. ¡°Jin, so you happen to be one of the examinees this year?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Ivan. When I moved into the temporary dorm yesterday, I had a small conflict with a roommate and accidentally severed their limbs¡¯ tendons causing severe bleeding¡­ The aftermath was quite troublesome, wasting my entire day.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯ll have to wait a bit, Mr. Behrens is a friend of mine referred to me, and his outfit has just been finished¡ªit needs a final ¡®fitting trial.¡¯ If anything doesn¡¯t fit right, I¡¯ll have my hands full.¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯m actually quite eager to see what¡¯s so special about the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯? Why not just change outside?¡± ¡°Jin, restrain yourself a little¡­¡± Shop owner Ivan gestured for Yi Chen to come alone. The youth known as ¡®Jin¡¯ could only tilt his head and wave goodbye. Click~ The secret door was locked. This was also Yi Chen¡¯s first visit to the ¡®Clothing Room¡¯. The tungsten filament lamp installed overhead buzzed like gnats, providing luxurious light. The interior was not as high-end and open as imagined, just a narrow, elongated room. Every utilizable space was filled with tools, equipment and various fabrics. 1. A perfectly balanced sewing table made of a certain ancient wood, one¡¯s fingertips could feel its excellent woodiness upon touch, able to be in contact with skin for long periods without causing any sweat. Various forms of scissors and measuring tapes hung on wall hooks in front of the sewing table for easy access, 2. Shelves brimming with different kinds of fabric and some less commonly used specialty tools, 3. At the other end of the room, a basin-like tabletop resembling a photo rinsing station lay. Rows of unknown reagents were neatly arranged, A fine wire stretched across the top of the table, from which hung pieces of ¡®skin¡¯ that had been specially soaked and treated to serve as important materials for making clothes. 4. Several slender mannequins were also placed here, their heads still covered with white cloths, their arm structures carved with extra finesse, even showing pores and varying lengths of fingernail details. Seemingly serving as Ivan¡¯s ¡®assistants¡¯ here. ¡°It seems a bit cramped in here¡­¡± Yi Chen had to sidestep carefully through the room, afraid to bump into any important tailoring tools. ¡°A small space can squeeze the brain, heightening concentration, reducing the likelihood of errors and mistakes. Come with me~ Your clothes are in a deeper place, don¡¯t let ¡®it¡¯ wait too long.¡± Behind the closet of the clothing room, there was actually another secret door, ¡®Changing Room¡¯ Approximately a ten-square-meter square, enclosed room, with candlesticks at the four corners, and directly opposite the entrance stood an oval mirror with gold trim on the wall, A statue with the same body size, height, and even the dimensions of the fingers, navel, and back door as Yi Chen stood in the center, However, this statue still did not have facial features; instead, a circle of ¡°vortex¡± was carved on the face to substitute for them, with the deep part of the vortex corresponding to Yi Chen¡¯s book emblem. The outfit worn on the statue was made from ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± as the raw material, consisting of: 1. ¡°Shirt¡±¡ªa white standard shirt with a round collar design, adjustable herringbone cuffs matched with a pair of black sleeve garters. 2. ¡°Waistcoat¡±¡ªan essential piece of clothing with vintage British elements, originally designed to cover the shirt; now it became an indispensable part of a gentleman¡¯s attire. Molata wool, a deep gray color between black and white, with an inverted triangular structure. 3. ¡°Trousers¡±¡ªhigh-waisted single-pleat trousers, with black and gray stripes, providing support to the waistcoat, perfectly bridging the gap between it and the trousers. 4. ¡°Coat¡±¡ªalso the most important part of the outfit, offering two choices: ¡°Suit¡± or ¡°Overcoat¡±. Both are black. ¡°Suit¡± is commonly used for everyday activities, such as daily outings in Zion, learning, attending meetings, etc. Its material can effectively purify the spirit and enhance thought activity, more conducive to establishing and displaying a gentleman¡¯s character. ¡°Overcoat¡± is mainly used for field investigations and battles with the Pathogen. Its material can effectively isolate the effects of Pathological influence, as well as suit the individual¡¯s combat style. Generally speaking, it is the part of the attire that uses the most ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡±. Of course, this is not entirely fixed; there are also gentlemen who mainly wear suits for external investigations, Grey Zone exploration, or even rushing to the frontlines. As for leather shoes, socks, belts, ties, bow ties or some other external decorations, they are not included in ¡°Clothing¡± and can be chosen according to the event one is attending. Shop owner Ivan explained simply: ¡°The focus of my design for your outfit is ¡®the intertwining of life and death¡¯ and ¡®the emphasis on knowledge¡¯. Firstly, by alternating the use of black and white, with the addition of gray, I aim to accentuate the boundary between life and death. Then the most important aspect, ¡®Knowledge¡¯, which is the path you have chosen to grow, I have spent a lot of thought on incorporating this aspect into the suit¡¯s design. Using the classic Ivy version, narrow natural shoulders, straight tube without front darts, and widely spaced single-row three-button design, I personally recommend buttoning only the middle one. Because the quantity of ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ you brought was sufficient, I used half of it for the suit, which helps to maximize the display of your professional characteristics. As for the overcoat, Considering your background, my design is cemetery-style, I¡¯ve used ¡®Son of Lucifer¡¯ black mountain goat wool combined with Gentleman¡¯s Skin, favoring a design style that is both rough and secretive, while slightly increasing the length and fabric thickness. Try it on and see how it fits. Of course, the suit and the overcoat need to be tried on separately. I believe such a nearly perfect outfit will root itself onto your skin as if it were a rash, irresistible.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Yi Chen could hardly wait from the moment he stepped into the changing room and saw the tailored clothes. During the fitting, he felt the fabric sliding over his skin like the gentle touch of a girl¡¯s fingers, fitting perfectly. If the ¡°clothes¡± he hastily bought in Easton Town after leaving the graveyard were already comfortable, then this set of fully customized clothing defied the limits of what ¡®comfort¡¯ could describe, with every aspect of the fabric¡¯s finish and every folded gap appearing impeccable, beyond reproach. As he put on the outermost suit, the outfit immediately resonated with Yi Chen, the wearer. It was as though the threads woven into the garment connected deeply with the blood vessels, nerves, and muscle fibers of his body, forming a whole. The brain, too, was stimulated by the embrace of the clothes, with the book emblem in the brain¡¯s posterior side made of brain sulci, together with the heart and the entire outfit, all pulsating at the exact same frequency. ¡°This is!¡± Rows of ¡°ancient characters¡± floating in motion appeared in his view. Yi Chen was certain it was his first time seeing these characters but could understand their meaning. At the very top, the most conspicuous and bolded text conveyed crucial information: [Profession: Student (Student)] Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Inspection Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Inspection ¡°` ¡°So this is what Mr. Wilbert meant, that once I join the organization, I can easily monitor ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯ like this?¡± And it¡¯s not just Pathological Traits, all my information is displayed through these ancient texts. Just¡­ my profession really is ¡®unique¡¯. After finally transcending to such an interesting world, I end up still being a [student], as long as no one asks me to write a thesis I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s continue to look at the other values.¡± ¡ÚProfession: student¡Û *This profession is uniquely purple, tailored specifically for you, and has unique growth potential. When reaching the next stage, the profession name will change. ¡ÚRank: human¡Û *This is the initial rank stage, imprisoned in a human skin, subject to various ¡®limits¡¯ in meaning. ¡ÚBasic Attributes¡Û *Attribute values are divided into six criteria based on the individual¡¯s ¡®Rank¡¯. 1. Bad | 2. Weak | 3. Ordinary | 4. Powerful | 5. Extraordinary | 6. Limit [Physique]: 2 *Your muscle strength, endurance, and toughness determine your physicality [Motorics]: 2 *Your nerve conduction and physical elasticity rate determine your agility [Intellect]: 4 *Your brain power, thought patterns, and scope determine your level of intelligence [Psyche]: 3 *Your sensitivity, resonance with things or capture of latent aspects determine how sensitive you are [Luck]: 3 *Your luck, not much to say about this, today you gave a vagrant some change on the street, and you may face different situations subsequently, maybe nothing will happen, maybe the vagrant realizes you have money, so in the dead of night, he and his friends come to rob you, and don¡¯t forget to stab you afterward, stabbing you in a critical area. Just so happens the place is very remote, and the first to find you are a pack of ravenous wild dogs. Or maybe the vagrant is a wealthy aristocrat tired of a life of luxury, he appreciates your help and gives you a large sum of money, while also taking off his human skin mask and turning into a straightforward young lady who wants to marry you. ¡ÚProfessional Characteristics¡Û ¡®Inquisitive (Passive)¡¯: Reading speed significantly increased, the efficiency of understanding ancient texts and secret scriptures increased by 50%, initial mastery of ¡®Ancient Living Text¡¯ ¡®Central Tasting (Passive)¡¯: Can absorb the marrow fluid in the brains of Pathological infectees, with a certain chance of improving the Intelligence Attribute (the brain¡¯s mass has an impact on the chance) ¡ÚPathological Traits¡Û *Pathological Traits stem from the individual¡¯s complete mastery over ¡®processed Crystals¡¯. Currently, consumed ¡®Forest Guardian ¨C Casimir¡¯s tumorous Crystal¡¯ Quality: Ordinary (Variant) *Variant tumor bodies possess instability and growth potential. Basic Traits: ¡®Vascular Tissue (vascular-tissue)¡¯: Pathological factors will undergo dependent secondary growth inside the individual, integrating vascular tissue thoroughly into the internal circulation system. At the same time, effectively modifies muscle fibers, enhancing the individual¡¯s overall quality (a slight increase ¡Ü1 in [Physique] and [Motorics]). ¡®Vegetarian (vegetarian)¡¯: Can obtain energy by consuming plants, this energy can be used for physical replenishment, tissue repair, growth, etc. ¡®Growth Roots (growth-root)¡¯: Can create root tissues externally by consuming energy. The number, toughness, length, and precision control of the roots will be enhanced by Intelligence, proficiency, and Crystal Quality. There is a low chance that the roots will develop new functions during use. ¡ÚUnknown Attributes¡Û *The individual¡¯s soul seems to be imbued with a substance related to death at its depths, with no current representing phenomenon, and it is speculated it might get activated upon reaching the next ¡®Rank¡¯ stage. ¡ÚPet¡Û ¡°` [Name]: Little Grape. Grep *Testing was rejected and interfered with, The pet¡¯s origin, basic information, and abilities cannot be verified, and it is suspected to be combined from more than ten ancient bodies that are over three hundred years old (speculative result). [Risk Assessment]: High *The complexity of this pet far exceeds an individual¡¯s Rank, which is difficult to control, with a significant risk of backlash or Possession. Please be very careful. *This inspection result is visible only to you. ¡­ Staring at such detailed personal information and reading about the concept of ¡®growth potential,¡¯ Yi Chen had fallen into an inexplicably excited state, ¡°Incredible! This feeling is just so exhilarating!¡± While he was in a state of self-excitement, Tailor Ivan almost pressed his body against Yi Chen¡¯s back, wearing gloves, roaming every corner of the body, especially some gaps and joints, carefully checking them, even touching them more than twice. It appeared perverse, But it was actually a very important verification step. If there is more than a 1% mismatch, the suit needs to be remade. However, After a precise physical check, the error value of the suit was only 0.09%¡­ It belonged to Ivan¡¯s highest completion works in nearly ten years. ¡°Perfect! It¡¯s truly a perfect piece!¡± Tailor Ivan became excited as well, a sense of satisfaction and pride from a tailor overflowing throughout him. ¡°Ahem¡­ right! I have some complimentary items for you.¡± After calming his excitement, Ivan handed Yi Chen a leather double-shoulder backpack that perfectly fitted against the back. ¡°[Gentleman¡¯s Backpack], this is a unique technology from Zion. Although I look down upon those guys above, I still greatly admire this invention. The backpack will assist you in freely switching between the ¡®suit¡¯ and ¡®overcoat¡¯; you can give it a try.¡± First, fold the overcoat neatly and put it into the backpack. By pressing a raised part on the strap¡­ a subtle sensation of adhesion spread throughout the body, the overcoat was already on, and the suit was neatly folded in the backpack. The dressing change was completed in less than a second. Yi Chen marveled, ¡°What a great item!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t good, I wouldn¡¯t be using Zion¡¯s stuff¡­ Stand still, and I¡¯ll assist you with the final touches.¡± Ivan thoughtfully provided a black and white British striped tie, and a pair of dark wooden framed glasses, And placed a white handkerchief bearing the G&D logo in a straight fold at the pocket square on the chest front. While completing the folding, he murmured softly: ¡°A suit is the armor of the modern gentleman. Wearing it means you must take on the corresponding responsibilities.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Yi Chen stood in front of the gilded oval mirror, admiring his transformed self, savoring the nobility and elegance the outfit brought him. Ivan also leaned on his cane, standing sideways, watching him in the mirror and continued, ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s something you need to remember. No matter how meticulous the workmanship, how perfect the design, or how precious the materials. The garment is always just a medium that sets off your personality. True ¡®nobility¡¯ is never shown through flashy garments or proper behavior¡­ but whether you¡¯re better than your former self. I hope to see a truly transformed you the next time we meet.¡± This statement suddenly awakened Yi Chen, who had been immersed in the garment¡¯s appearance. His brain also began to wriggle, transforming these words into important information, engraving it deep within his cerebellum. ¡°I will remember that.¡± ¡°If you acquire sufficiently high-quality, ancient ¡®Skin,¡¯ you can bring it here for completion and upgrades.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ivan.¡± ¡°You should still have one day before you go to the academy to enroll. Continue to stay here with me. I need to ensure that the suit does not undergo any uncomfortable changes after you formally wear it. Although it¡¯s a rare occurrence, we must guarantee it won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 35 Set Off In Advance Chapter 36: Chapter 35 Set Off In Advance Standing outside the door, Jin maintained a temporary farewell waving gesture, as if the gears inside his body were stuck and time had been frozen. It was not until Yi Chen came out from the Clothing Room that he returned to normal. Seeing Yi Chen dressed in a formal, elegant suit, which exuded an aura of academia, one could guess his professional direction. ¡°Academic style~ It seems that your profession is inclined towards study and thought. Even from this distance, I can smell the ancient aura emanating from your clothes. Is this the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯?¡± Unlike me, who can only make do with this diluted old skin for now, sigh~¡± In Jin¡¯s eyes, the skin that embodied the aura of the old world and corresponded to an 80% assessment grade was not worth mentioning. He had even thrown away the storage box long ago, and the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡¯ which others viewed as a treasure, was casually stuffed between his shirts. Jin cast his gaze towards the entrance of the Clothing Room, ¡°Mr. Ivan~ is my clothing ready yet? Just rough it out, as long as it can inspect my physical condition. Later, when I get the same skin as William, I¡¯ll come back to you for a new make.¡± ¡°Having a high skin content isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing, you¡¯ll understand this in time. Moreover, I would never treat my creations carelessly. Hurry over~ After dealing with your order, I need to rest for a good ten to fifteen days.¡± Jin shrugged his shoulders and headed straight for the Clothing Room. As Yi Chen was still standing in the middle, they brushed past each other¡­ Jin¡¯s fingers also slid onto Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders smoothly. ¡°Hey~ I have an idea. How about we form a special squad together later? With our level, we can surely complete missions quickly and even consider applying for higher-level tasks. We¡¯ll accumulate a lot of high-quality ¡®Skin¡¯ in a short time, complete our outfits, and reach the ¡®Rank¡¯ limit sooner, so we can do more truly meaningful things.¡± Facing Jin¡¯s invitation to team up, Yi Chen, still a novice regarding the organization, the world, and his newly acquired professional abilities, naturally would not accept, ¡°Our growth modes might differ, we¡¯ll talk about it later.¡± ¡°Boring man.¡± Jin¡¯s fingers, just as they were about to slide off Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, suddenly exerted force! The instant sense of danger stimulated the defenses in his body trying to construct a protective layer on his shoulder. However, the fingers slid off normally, and nothing happened, as if it was some sort of trickery, completely deceiving Yi Chen¡¯s instincts. Jin, with his hands clad in colorful gloves, backed them at his hip, waving goodbye slightly¡­ indicating he still looked forward to their collaboration in the future. As Jin walked into the Clothing Room and the secret door closed, a drop of cold sweat slid down his temple and cheek, absorbed by his collar. ¡°This man¡­ is very dangerous, more dangerous than any Pathological lifeform I have ever encountered.¡± Meanwhile, a small grape squeezed out from between the collar, stretching its body. ¡°Indeed, an extraordinary human~ Even I could feel the instant killing intent, sensing danger¡­ but the other party can control it so freely, as if nothing happened. William, perhaps we should team up with this guy? With him around, we could save a lot of energy in killing enemies. After all, the ¡®Profession¡¯ you¡¯ve chosen, combined with my sensory abilities, can rightly claim you¡¯re a support-type gentleman.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later, I¡¯ll consider it.¡± The small grape did not evaluate Yi Chen¡¯s choice of profession or gentleman¡¯s apparel, but, from its jumping about on the shoulder, waving its arms like seaweed, you could tell it was quite pleased with Yi Chen¡¯s transformation. Yi Chen recalled their recent conversation, ¡°According to Jin¡¯s words, after becoming a gentleman and completing the various tasks issued by Zion, you could also obtain skin to complete, amend, or even remake your outfit. In this process, it seemed possible to gradually touch the ¡®Limit of Man,¡¯ advancing to the next Rank phase.¡± The small grape waved its arms, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! You humans have been imprisoned in restrictive physical cages generation after generation. To break through the limit and escape such ¡®cages,¡¯ a great price must be paid.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s reach the limit first¡­ by the way, do you know what the next phase is, small grape?¡± ¡°My memory doesn¡¯t include knowledge on this matter. It¡¯s probably directly related to ancient creatures and your profession.¡± ¡°Oh, speaking of which, Little Grape, would you kill me?¡± What was originally a casual conversation, suddenly turned into a weird and tense atmosphere with Yi Chen¡¯s question. However, Little Grape was not displeased but rubbed its eyeball with its teeth, grinning as it said, ¡°It seems your clothes have detected something, haven¡¯t they? Is my evaluation quite dangerous?¡± Yi Chen nodded, ¡°That¡¯s about right.¡± Little Grape folded its tiny hands across its chest, its mouth squinting into a slit like its eyelids. ¡°It is indeed possible that I might kill you¡­ but there are conditions. If I find that you are no longer ¡®interesting¡¯, grow disgusted with yourself and the world, and abandon the desire to explore the outside, becoming a completely meaningless coward, I will terminate your life ahead of time.¡± Upon hearing Little Grape¡¯s response, Yi Chen seemed relieved as if that was the ultimate answer he had wanted. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I need you to supervise me closely, Little Grape, and if I really turn out that way, or if there¡¯s a tendency for change, the two grapes are yours. Remember to tell me how they taste.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really funny!¡± A brief dialogue raised Little Grape¡¯s interest again. It slightly protruded half its eyeball and rubbed it against Yi Chen¡¯s cheek, smearing slime all over his face. The two suppressed their laughter, echoing around the second floor. Just then, the sound of a door opening came again from downstairs. ¡°Hmm? This tailor shop doesn¡¯t seem very secretive¡­ Why another visitor?¡± As footsteps ascended to the second floor, a familiar owl came into view. ¡°Professor Qian Bosen? Did you finish your tasks?¡± ¡°It was an emergency meeting called on short notice, very brief¡­ Huh! This is your suit!¡± Qian Bosen noticed the suit Yi Chen was wearing, his eyes bulging. The owl on his shoulder also stared with wide eyes, observing together. About a minute passed. ¡°Perfect! Ivan¡¯s craftsmanship not only hasn¡¯t deteriorated due to his injuries but has become more personalized! It¡¯s just perfect¡­ Even now, you still don¡¯t match up to this suit. To be precise, you can¡¯t really utilize this suit¡¯s true function. As the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ has said, you are still a completely blank sheet of paper, I will conduct a series of long-term training for you, so that you can catch up with the other gentlemen at the ¡®basic level¡¯.¡± ¡°Report to the academy tomorrow and come directly to my office¡­ Forget it! Let¡¯s not delay, let¡¯s go to my office right now and plan the relevant training program.¡± Qian Bosen was eager to polish this rarely seen gem that was Yi Chen. ¡°Well¡­ Ivan, the store manager, asked me to stay here to do a follow-up review of the suit.¡± ¡°With me here, don¡¯t worry about that; I¡¯ll take care of the review.¡± Qian Bosen pulled out a steel pen adorned with a white feather, the nib engraved with the organization¡¯s emblem, and the pen body decorated with an ancient lacquer technique showing an owl half-hidden behind a tree trunk. He wrote a note, tucking it into the crevice of a hidden door. ¡­ The two were about to go to Omphalos-Centric-Academy, located in the northern depths of Zion City, The academy¡¯s exterior was bordered by towering walls, separating it from Zion City, creating a city within a city feel. The academy was permanently enveloped in a night full of auroras, with no change between day and night, and any external observation was blocked, making it extremely secretive. It is a special academy that most gentlemen (except for the Black Letter) must attend, The training at the academy greatly reduces the mortality rate of gentlemen when carrying out missions, exploring the Grey Zone, or facing Patients, It also effectively guides the gentleman community to touch the ¡°Limit of Man¡± faster and more stably. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Omphalo-Centric-Academy Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Omphalo-Centric-Academy Under the leadership of Qian Bosen, the two made their way through various alleys in the district, arriving at a place dominated by factory buildings, with a street named Steel Street where railway tracks lay in the middle. Here, there were many railway platforms primarily responsible for transporting various factory materials and finished products, however, one platform was visibly different, its doors adorned with a large number of clover-shaped arched grilles and decorations, and atop it stood a small metal sculpture resembling a newborn¡¯s fetal form. ¡°This is the direct train platform to the academy, facilitating the faculty and students¡¯ commute between the academy and the district.¡± Soon, a train combining gold and wood drove into the platform, consisting of only four carriages. After a ten-minute short journey. The towering outer walls of Omphalo-Centric-Academy came into view, and above the sharp walls was a layer of black membrane flowing with a Star River hue, dome-shaped, enveloping the entire academy, making it impossible to peek inside. Facing the not-so-far academy gates, the train showed no signs of stopping, at that moment, the Magic Secret Text engraved between the carriages lit up, resonating with the academy¡¯s front door, like the relationship between a ¡°key¡± and a ¡°lock.¡± As the train¡¯s head collided with the academy¡¯s steel gates, Hum! Accompanied by a ripple spreading out, the train had entirely entered the campus, and the view outside the windows immediately switched to the unique dazzling night scene of the academy, the flowing Star River, like a thin veil, shrouded the main buildings, lending them a mysterious aura. Between the towering Gothic spires, warm colored lights seeped through the vertical windows, combined with the cool hues of the night, it made the mysterious atmosphere even denser. The campus interior also had varying terrain and architectural features, showing a very distinct sense of tiered difference, some buildings stood alone in the air, their exquisite architecture like noble gentlemen guarding the academy in the Eternal Night. ¡°Wow!¡± Not just Yi Chen, even the little grape stood on his shoulders, its eyes completely exposed, enjoying this beautiful scene. Before long, Yi Chen and the little grape¡¯s view was drawn to the center of the academy, where there stood two independent, nearly columnar small mountains topped with bridges connecting them. Atop each of these pillar-like small mountains, there was a distinctively styled educational building, one side featured a single-layer, church-style building with a larger floor area, the other side featured a multi-story, almost windowless cubic building, at this moment, Professor Qian Bosen¡¯s voice came, briefly introducing: ¡°The academy does not offer dense and intricate courses, the only two subjects you need to learn are ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Studies¡¯ and ¡®Pathology.¡¯ And the teaching locations for these classes, are the mountain-top buildings you see. The Swan School for unified, public lectures in ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Studies,¡¯ and the Viersman Teaching Building for grouped, secretive lectures in ¡®Pathology,¡¯ They are also called the ¡®Twin Towers,¡¯ serving respectively as the academy¡¯s ¡®lungs¡¯ and ¡®heart.''¡± ¡°Only two classes a week? Are all the students here gentlemen of the same rank?¡± ¡°Correct, you only need to attend two classes a week, the rest of the time is for self-improvement. All the newcomer gentlemen studying here are of the lowest rank ¡®Human¡¯¡­ Those who transcend this limit no longer need the school¡¯s protection and instruction. The academy has only two requirements for you, 1. By utilizing the school¡¯s provided free educational resources, achieve the ¡®Limit of Man¡¯ within two years, though if reached earlier, you may leave school immediately. 2. Complete at least one ¡®task¡¯ per month, generally, you need to go to Zion¡¯s ¡®Gentleman Hall¡¯ to pick up tasks of corresponding difficulty.¡± When Qian Bosen mentioned this, Yi Chen also recalled the team formation issue suggested by Jin. Qian Bosen continued, ¡°Since you lack any foundation, I will dominate your leisure time during the initial period of your enrollment¡­ Only when I deem you truly qualified to go out will I let you go on Gentleman tasks.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡­ After some time spent exploring by train, Yi Chen quickly discovered the distinct layout of the academy¡¯s crucial buildings. The architecture of the Omphalo-Centric Academy was divided according to the human body structure. The Twin Towers, serving as the heart and lungs, were located at the school center. The most northern, gloomy, massive, and thick Great Book Library served as the brain. The row of campus buildings and the cafeteria near the school entrance served as the intestines and stomach, and the Fetal Heart Church, which was also the office building for the teachers and the decision-making site of the academy, served as the most important ¡®connecting structure¡¯ between the campus buildings¡ªthe umbilical cord. Its exterior was a supremely large Gothic church, from the top of the church extended a black, umbilical cord-like strip that reached straight into the sky¡­ It was this structure that maintained the academy¡¯s state of Eternal Night. The interior of the church was divided into three levels, connected by a long stairway that gradually converged upward. The lowest level was for ordinary staff offices such as cleaners, security guards, and regular teachers who mostly resided on this level. The middle level corresponded to single offices for associate professors and professors. Teachers who were awarded titles not only needed to reach the required Rank but also needed to have made significant contributions to Zion or the academy. The top level, housed only one room ¨C the Fetal Heart Room, which was also the office of the Principal. Even Professor Qian Bosen rarely had the opportunity to visit and meet with the Principal there, except for very important meetings, otherwise, the Principal would not show up. ¡­ Fetal Heart Church ¨C Middle Level Corridor A stone key made of white rock material was spit out from the mouth of an owl. Click~ Open the door A spacious office dominated by cool tones appeared, covering about one hundred fifty square meters, and the ceiling height reaching up to five meters, filled with numerous plant pots for decoration, with trees even planted in the corners. The overall brightness from wall lamps was dim, giving the impression of being in a night-time forest. The owl flapped its wings and landed on a branch in the corner. ¡°Please, take a seat¡­ I need some time to draw up your training schedule.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen sniffed the plant aroma in the air, feeling the vitality pulsating within the room, almost like a sensation of coming home¡­ he even felt hungry. He casually chose a sofa to sit on, gently touching the tender leaves of a nearby potted plant as if he were touching the crispy skin of roasted chicken, but he ultimately resisted. Glancing at Professor Qian Bosen, who was engrossed in his work, Yi Chen guessed there would be no significant movements for an hour. ¡°I should move around a bit, I¡¯m afraid I might not be able to resist and end up eating all the professor¡¯s carefully tended plants.¡± After walking around the office for a while, he soon stopped in front of an ordinary-sized bookcase. A book caught his attention ¨C ¡°World History¡± Since transcending, Yi Chen had not yet truly understood the specifics of this world, whether its structure was completely the same as the Original World, or if it had a completely different geographical distribution and structure. He took out ¡°World History¡± Leaned quietly against the bookcase, commenced reading. As he flipped the first page of the book, a fold-out world map also unfolded, When he saw the world displayed on the map, Yi Chen¡¯s pupils instantly dilated, and his spirits also perked up. ¡°This is an entirely new world system!¡± His thoughts densely immersed within the book in merely a few seconds, blocking out everything around him. As he read deeper, the Emblem imprinted at the back of his head also began to squirm as if it were flipping pages. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 37 World and Grey Zone Chapter 38: Chapter 37 World and Grey Zone Books, the thing Yi Chen was best at before he died. Paired with the brand new profession of ¡°student,¡± he hadn¡¯t realized how fast he was flipping through the pages, staying on each page for no more than one second, just like drinking water. He finished reading the entire book of ¡°World History¡± in just over ten minutes, and his whole brain felt refreshed and invigorated from reading, gaining an unprecedented sense of mental satisfaction. All the constructs of this world were now recorded in his brain. This place bore certain similarities to the ¡°Earth¡± Yi Chen once knew, primarily divided into land and ocean, with ratios of 37.1% and 62.9% respectively. The land consisted of one supercontinent and five continents around it, Supercontinent¡ªCentral Domain (Middle-Earth) * Huge, almost equal to the total area of all the continents combined. 1. Shambles (Shambles) * Home to the most suitable seasonal climate for biological survival, the continent with the most developed livestock industry, exporting the most meat, and even the shape on the map looks like a piece of steak 2. Evengrad (Everglade) * Most areas are covered by rainforests, which are also home to the world¡¯s largest rainforest, fostering several ancient civilizations, with many primitive tribes living out of time. Coastal areas are heavily tainted by modern industry, mainly port cities specializing in fishing, wood industries. 3. San Carlos (San-Carlos) * A continent primarily of plains, looking very square on the map, with many rivers. It is the most populous continent except for the Central Domain, and the developed countries there are second only to the Central Domain. 4. Quechua (Quechua) * Mostly mountains and valleys dominate this continent, with a very rich vertical structure vertically along the whole continent, rich in ore veins, naturally attracting a lot of capital, and nearly every city has large factories with rows of giant chimneys. The landmass is vertically elongated, with mountains in the north covered with snow all year round. It¡¯s worth mentioning that this is also the continent where Yi Chen is located. The headquarters of G&D¡ªZion City, situated near one of the peaks close to the central mountain range, surrounded by mountains, occupying a high, relatively hidden location. 5. Broken Islands (Broken-Islands) * The only continent located in the southern hemisphere, and it separated into thirteen islands due to severe earthquakes tens of thousands of years ago. Each island has one country, relatively underdeveloped. ¡­ The above is a rough overview of this world, One detail to note is, on the world map at the bottom right corner marked with an asterisk, there is a small piece of text attached. [This map was created fifty years before the Disease Era] ¡°The Disease Era¡­ That means when the ¡®Pathological symptoms¡¯ started appearing around the world and posed an irreversible threat to human society, people began to recalibrate their calendar, right? What year is it now?¡± Grape responded: ¡°According to the integrated memory in my head, it should be the year 371 of the Disease Era. The connection between our continent¡ªQuechua¡ªand other continents as well as the Central Domain was completely severed about two hundred years ago. I¡¯ve mentioned the reason before, the spread of the Grey Zone caused the forced termination of the electrical era, technological regression, and all connecting structures built by human society were abandoned. No one knows the situation on other continents, no one knows if Quechua is the only continent with survivors. Doesn¡¯t that feel a bit hopeless?¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s quite interesting~ This is what makes it feel like an adventure, doesn¡¯t it? By the way, our clothing is designed to resist the Pathogen, exploring the Grey Zone, right? With so many talented people in the organization, if proper preparations are made, sending out strong teams like Qian Bosen or even large-scale expeditions, we should be able to reach other continents, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple. The Grey Zone is quite dangerous and also has different levels of severity, The most terrifying Grey Zone, with its pathogens, is disaster-level~ Even without direct contact, just getting slightly close can lead to complete annihilation. The Grey Zone you crossed by carriage before was just barely formed, the lowest level. And the carriage itself had resistant attributes, and you were just quickly passing through as travelers¡­ Real exploration is extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°Little Grape, it seems your memory has increased?¡± ¡°Ah? It might have something to do with swallowing that huge eye, allowing the fragmented memories in my brain to combine further. From now on, you should feed me more delicious grapes, maybe then I could remember more useful things.¡± ¡°Then talk about the Gradient Issue of the Grey Zone right away.¡± At Yi Chen¡¯s request, Little Grape directly transferred the memory file through consciousness. Different Grey Zones, based on their degree of Pathological change, time, and certain unknown factors, are divided into five levels. [Thin] [Middling] [Severe] [Forbidden] [Dead] The areas covered by the Grey Zone, their species composition, topographical structure, and even the most fundamental spatial structures might change, harboring unpredictable dangers. Organizations¡¯ gentlemen usually explore the first three levels of the Grey Zones, The fourth level Grey Zones are almost impossible to fully explore, Being able to obtain some tools and information from the fourth level Grey Zone and escaping intact is already quite impressive. As for the fifth level, Little Grape¡¯s memory fragments didn¡¯t hold much information, only knowing that once one enters, it¡¯s impossible to return. The high-level Grey Zones are randomly distributed across the oceans that separate the various continents. This is also the main reason why the continents cannot achieve communication; heading recklessly into the sea is a one-way path to death. ¡­ After learning about the basic conditions of the world and the Grey Zones, Yi Chen¡¯s curiosity was fully amplified; he wanted to learn more, especially about the Origin of Disease. Unfortunately, even after searching through the entire bookcase, he couldn¡¯t find any books related to diseases. And there was nothing about the Origin of Disease in Little Grape¡¯s memory fragments either. Gurgle gurgle gurgle! The white owl that had been standing in the corner had somehow landed on a closer tree branch at some point. It even spat out a refined but slightly grave male voice through its beak: ¡°Books about Disease cannot be written. Even seemingly trivial associations in text might turn a book into a ¡®pathogen intermediary,¡¯ transmitting unknown pathogens. You can naturally learn about what you want to know in the course titled ¡®Pathology.¡¯ However, even the most excellent teachers in this academy, even the most learned gentlemen of Zion City, only understand Disease at a superficial level, or maybe slightly deeper.¡± ¡°To learn more, become stronger.¡± After speaking, the owl turned around and flew back to its original position. ¡°Understood.¡± Yi Chen wasn¡¯t surprised by the talking owl at all, considering he had even stranger things on his shoulder. Since he was bored anyway, and the reading process had been so thrilling, Yi Chen decided to read through all the books in the bookcase once more¡­ As a result of reading, the dopamine levels surged, and he became increasingly agitated during the reading process. Even his basic attribute of Intelligence was slightly increasing (£¼0.1). Unknowingly, two hours passed, and Professor Qian Bosen finally finished a detailed special training timetable, with every day fully scheduled without any waste. When he looked up, he saw Yi Chen just putting a book back into the bookcase. ¡°Reading, are you? You seem quite excited¡­ How did it go?¡± ¡°Finished reading.¡± ¡°Which book did you finish?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Qian Bosens Special Arrangement Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Qian Bosen¡¯s Special Arrangement ¡°Though my bookcase is rather small, it holds about twenty or thirty books. It¡¯s been only two hours and ten minutes since you entered the office, and you say you¡¯ve read all these books?¡± Yi Chen nodded. ¡°Some of the books on campus architecture and student management seemed quite dull, but overall, they were not bad.¡± Qian Bosen, skeptical, stood up and walked over to the bookcase, [Honesty] is also an important trait of a gentleman, He randomly pulled out a few books to test their content. However, Yi Chen was able to precisely cite approximate page numbers, give chapter titles and basic content, and even offer his own views. Having taught for many years, Qian Bosen had never seen such a student. ¡°Wait¡­ Could this be related to your [Profession]? You should have already inspected related characteristics through attire, tell me about it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Qian Bosen was taken aback upon hearing about the special profession named [student] and its related professional characteristics. ¡°You inherently mastered the ¡®Ancient Living Text¡¯, which enhances reading speed and the efficiency of understanding ancient texts and secret manuals? And you can also increase your [Intelligence] by absorbing diseased brains?¡± ¡°Is there anything special about that?¡± ¡°Generally, initial professions only bring a minor boost, primarily serving as support. Only a very few rare professions have professional characteristics that can directly boost ¡®basic attributes¡¯, such as your brain absorption. Furthermore, To have inherently mastered the ¡®Ancient Living Text¡¯, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it. You are sure to be heavily utilized by the organization in the future, When you have enough strength to explore the Grey Zone, this textual ability will play a significant role in aiding you.¡± At this point, Yi Chen also had a question. ¡°Professor Qian Bosen, is the so-called [Limit of Man] about taking a certain attribute to its maximum value?¡± ¡°Correct, The weakness of humans is precisely because of certain ¡®limits¡¯ set by rules. Through generations of human reproduction and development, gradually becoming the dominant species in the world, humans instinctively accepted their weaknesses, accustomed to living within these limits. However, they¡¯re completely unaware that such ¡®peace and tranquility¡¯ is merely an illusion¡­ With the outbreak of real threats, humanity will be wiped out in a short time. One of the main reasons the organization was established was to break this notion, Using the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ to connect us with the growth system, creating the possibility to break past these limits. And then, by learning, training, and external missions, to activate the potential within you that has been concealed, allowing you to touch the human limits in ¡®certain aspects¡¯. Once an attribute reaches [6], you will clearly feel the presence of the limit, It¡¯s like a membrane layer, blocking your way¡­ preventing you from reaching higher levels.¡± Yi Chen further inquired, ¡°How exactly can one cross this membrane layer representing the limit? Is it through the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯?¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not what you should be asking¡­ but revealing a bit in advance won¡¯t hurt. Skin is just a [medium] that links you to the growth system. To break through the limit barrier, one needs an object that fits oneself, universally referred to by the organization as [Relic], a type of object originating from ancient times, Only by venturing deep into the Grey Zone or killing some special patients can one possibly find such an object. When you reach the limit, you¡¯ll naturally understand.¡± ¡°Relic, ancient?¡± Qian Bosen gently patted Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, interrupting his thoughts, ¡°Alright! First, consider how to touch the ¡®Limit Membrane¡¯. Since your profession leans towards [Intelligence], I¡¯ll arrange more cerebral and mental training¡­ I just happen to specialize in this area.¡± However, Yi Chen had his own thoughts about his specialized training. ¡°Please, Professor Qian Bosen, conduct physical training for me. Since my professional traits allow me to consume diseased brains to enhance my intelligence attribute¡­ I will find ways to maximize this aspect myself.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think of ¡®multi-attribute¡¯ jointly touching the Limit Barrier, would you?¡± ¡°Not really¡­ I just rather enjoy the feeling of personally killing [Pathogens]. By the way, is it really possible? Multi-attribute limit?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s rare~ The main reason is ¡®lack of time¡¯. The reason the academy limits the training period to [two years] is because we don¡¯t have much time to waste¡­ The expansion of the Grey Zone has never stopped. And our efforts to explore the outer world and eliminate diseases simply can¡¯t keep up with the encroachment of the Grey Zone.¡± ¡°Hmm, I know, two years should be enough!¡± ¡°Could you please arrange some physical training for me, Professor Qian Bosen?¡± ¡°Haha! You do share certain similarities with that guy Wilbert. By the way, do you still have the business card I gave you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yi Chen took out the owl business card, preparing to return it to him. ¡°No¡­ keep this thing safe~ I, like you, lean towards the ¡®Intelligence¡¯ type of gentleman. The physical training I can provide is limited, I can only teach you some basic stuff. Tomorrow, I will send you another letter. After the ¡®Pathology¡¯ class is over, give this letter and my business card to the teacher in charge. He will be responsible for your physical training.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ just a reminder. That teacher is a bit eccentric, possessing some quirks, but his expertise in the physical aspect is among the top three of all teachers. If you can persist, and learn some ¡®real stuff¡¯ from him, you might truly reach the ¡®Multi-attribute Limit.¡¯ Also, due to his personality and quirks, he has been stripped of his teaching qualifications and hasn¡¯t led students for a long time. If you feel you can¡¯t hold on, come back and tell me immediately. If you injure your ¡®foundation¡¯ by forcing yourself, your future will be utterly destroyed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Despite Professor Qian Bosen¡¯s bizarre description, Yi Chen would still attempt any opportunity presented to him. ¡°Can¡¯t waste the remainder of today, Let¡¯s start with a set of entry-level tests to see how your ¡®foundation¡¯ is¡­ If the most basic things aren¡¯t up to par, there¡¯s no need to proceed with your physical training. Twenty push-ups per set, for a total of five sets. Ten single-leg squats per set, for a total of five sets, Thirty seconds rest between each set. If possible, start now.¡± ¡°Ah? Okay.¡± Yi Chen got down and supported himself on the ground, his arms and shoulders perfectly vertical. He did the push-ups with an extremely standard posture; each movement was almost perfect¡­ After completing five sets, he was only slightly out of breath. The single-leg squats were also flawlessly done, with no faults to be found in any movement. ¡°Have you¡­ practiced before? ¡®The First Gentleman¡¯ clearly detected that your body was unpolished.¡± ¡°I used to practice as a child; these basic movements are no problem.¡± Yi Chen seemed to recall some not-so-pleasant memories as he spoke. ¡°Next, let¡¯s test your basic reactions.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Professor Qian Bosen suddenly showed killing intent, swinging out a diagonal hand blade. Simultaneously, the enhanced vision provided by the combined little grapes allowed Yi Chen to dodge at the first moment. A quite smooth backward roll followed, and he instinctively reached his right hand to the axe handle at his waist, ready to counterattack. His fluid movements puzzled Qian Bosen again. ¡°Your reaction¡­ seems trained as well. The rolling moves are particularly proficient, which is really important for actual combat.¡± Yi Chen scratched his head, ¡°That¡¯s also from my childhood. Back then, to lessen the beatings, I often practiced rolling moves in my spare time¡­ after all, being caught would have been very bad.¡± ¡°Hmm. I think I understand why you want to train your ¡®Physical.¡¯ Your body indeed has the potential to touch the limit. Let it be then, Go back and get accustomed to the attire you¡¯ve just received, and prepare for the class¡­ The list of you new students has already been entered into the campus system, and dormitories have been arranged, go check in early. I hope your meeting with that teacher tomorrow goes smoothly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Viersman Teaching Building Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Viersman Teaching Building Yi Chen, who had left the Fetal Heart Church, had a slightly strange expression on his face. Due to a series of simple tests, He was reminded of a series of experiences at the orphanage before his death¡­ Such reminiscence was like opening a Curse Secret Box hidden deep in a cellar, carelessly unleashing long-sealed ancient curses. His whole being suddenly turned ice-cold, exuding an inexplicable aura of death, and even the color of his eyes dimmed. However, this state did not last long. ¡°Thinking about it now, it¡¯s quite good~ If it weren¡¯t for the ¡®special environment¡¯ of the orphanage, if it weren¡¯t for the ¡®new principal¡¯s¡¯ strict management rules, if I hadn¡¯t survived in such an environment. Even if I had transcended here, I would have been completely killed by the undead of burial ground number 4 and my physical body drained dry, not even ashes would remain.¡± In just five seconds, He returned to normal, Re-sealing those wildly overflowing memories back into the deep vault of his memory. Little Grape naturally noticed Yi Chen¡¯s subtle change during that short time, but it said nothing and only found it all the more interesting. ¡­ Looking around The dormitory buildings symbolizing the ¡°intestines¡± surrounded the Fetal Heart Church. The dormitory buildings did not possess an overly intense Gothic style, but rather leaned towards a Victorian era architectural mood. Red brick walls, gable roofs, bay windows, and iron railings. They imparted a sense of warmth, contrasting other Gothic buildings¡¯ austerity, they were more suitable for living. The height of the dormitory buildings was uniformly set to four stories, not housing many. Yi Chen made a simple analysis: ¡°There are only seventeen of us who passed the assessment. Among them, the gentlemen who chose the ¡®Black Letter¡¯ will receive a completely different type of training, and the number of people entering the school is originally very small. Moreover, the school has a [two-year] limitation, the total number of students is kept within a small range¡­ I estimate that these dormitories are likely to all be single rooms.¡± His guess was not wrong, After verifying the identity of the new gentleman under one of the dormitory buildings, Yi Chen was directly assigned a room with a [two-bedroom, one-living room] design, featuring a Nordic minimalist and natural d¨¦cor style. The most favored among them was the ¡®study¡¯. Large windows faced the Twin Towers, and if he ever felt tired at his desk, he could simply get up for a panoramic view of the campus¡¯s Star River night scene. He took out the ¡®schedule¡¯ set by Professor Qian Bosen, Except for an empty slot on Sunday night, The rest of the time schedule was fully arranged with various targeted training, cramming almost every day¡¯s sleep time within six hours. To such an arrangement, Yi Chen was not worried at all; in fact, he looked forward to tomorrow¡¯s Pathology class and the mysterious teacher with great anticipation. Being busy for the sake of interest, no matter how busy he was, it was always joyful. Having a clear goal, With expected gains and growth, Being able to directly observe and feel the improvement of oneself. This was much better than his previous life, stuck in a cramped laboratory, writing papers day and night, Even if he graduated successfully, there was no guarantee he¡¯d find a satisfactory job, and even after finding work, he¡¯d still face various pressures in an ordinary day. ¡­ Monday morning was the teaching time for Pathology. All students needed to reach the foot of the mountain where the Twin Towers were located before 8:00 a.m., waiting for the elevator to operate. The giant elevator could transport everyone to the door of the Viersman Teaching Building at the top of the mountain in one go. Of course, One could arrive earlier and choose to hand-climb the nearly vertical columnar mountain to strengthen their physique¡­ Indeed, a few new gentlemen intent on developing their Physique would make such a choice. The venue for the Pathology class¡ªthe Viersman Teaching Building¡ªwas named after the discipline¡¯s Founder and Vice Principal, George Wirstman. It was a multi-storey structure, an enclosed building with basically no windows, Appearing more like a huge gray block standing at the summit of the mountain. The reason for [enclosure] was simple. The interior of the building housed some Pathological teaching materials, the bodies of Patients, and various plants and inorganic materials infected with Pathogens. Furthermore, For safety management and efficient teaching, small class sizes were adopted here. The same batch of gentlemen who passed the assessment were in one class (if the number was less than ten, classes would be combined) Yi Chen¡¯s batch passed a total of seventeen people, thus forming their own class. What needs to be mentioned is, The duration of teaching Pathology is [one year]. After the final exam, unless in some special circumstances, there will be no need to set foot in this building again. ¡­ Early morning [07:50] In front of the large elevator, over a hundred and thirty gentlemen had already gathered. When Yi Chen approached the crowd here, he immediately heard a familiar greeting. ¡°William, that suit of yours is really nice!¡± The one who greeted him was Blond Edmund, who had been looking around for Yi Chen ever since he arrived. The gentlemen who had passed the assessment together turned their heads at the mention of Yi Chen¡¯s English name, curious about just how special a suit made from the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯s¡¯ skin could be. Clearly, The ancient aura from Yi Chen¡¯s suit was somewhat heavier, and the various supportive effects the clothing provided were notably better. Edmund squeezed through the crowd and quickly came to Yi Chen¡¯s side. He grabbed his seemingly restless right wrist with his left hand and asked with a tense face, ¡°Can I touch it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Touching the suit was no issue; it had a self-cleaning function. Edmund merely brushed it with his fingers and a tingling sensation, like an electric shock, spread throughout his body. ¡°What¡­ what is this level of completeness? Even within my family, I¡¯ve never seen such a perfect early-stage suit¡­ Where did you have it tailored?¡± ¡°At a friend of Professor Qian Bosen.¡± ¡°It seems it¡¯s a private tailor shop I¡¯m unaware of, I¡¯m envious.¡± Yi Chen then sized up the blond young man before muttering low, ¡°Your suit isn¡¯t bad either.¡± Edmund¡¯s suit was in deep blue, with a design featuring double-breasted peaked lapels, six buttons, and high gorge lines¡ªa traditional suit with a blend of nobility¡¯s dignity and an unorthodox zest for life. As for the other two members of Edmund¡¯s squad, their main colors were coincidentally one black and one white. Juliana¡¯s black suit had a leisurely look with narrow shoulders and a slim fit that accentuated her figure. Dagbert looked like a suit thug, his white suit fitting perfectly to his physique, the well-defined muscles discernible even through the fabric. Besides, Jin, with his colorful mask and floral suit, was not present here, It was almost certain that Jin had chosen the black letter. Time was up, with a thunderous roar~ The giant elevator carried everyone up towards the summit, Edmund moved close to Yi Chen¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Hey~ I heard some rumors through the grapevine. The school, due to staffing issues, has assigned us a ¡®Pathology¡¯ teacher with¡­ some problems. He once caused the direct death of a student due to inappropriate teaching methods. As a result, he was severely punished and subjected to Zion¡¯s trial¡­ but due to his irreplaceability and uniqueness, he was still kept at the school. How about we watch out for each other during the class?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡­ Entering the Vilsterman Teaching Building required passing through a straight, dim corridor for a thorough check. Next, they ascended the turning stairs inside, and could hear the humming of multiple generators in the corridor¡ªthe teaching building used a self-generating system, completely isolated from Zion City¡¯s power supply, to prevent pathogen leakage. It took nearly twenty minutes to finally reach the floor where the classroom was located. It resembled the structure of an old floor designed specifically for confining severe mental patients, with narrow and sealed passages, iron doors with small windows, and tungsten lamps that continually emitted a hissing, dying sound. [#203#] This was the special classroom where Yi Chen and the others would study ¡®Pathology¡¯ for the coming year. He pushed open the iron door. Inside was a completely sealed old classroom, with twenty rust-spotted metal desks placed haphazardly, The so-called podium was more like a metal dissecting table, Just as everyone chose a spot and started to arrange the messy desks in order, there was a tap~ the sound of footsteps could be faintly heard outside. Everyone instinctively thought the teacher had arrived and promptly sat up straight. However, As the footsteps drew closer, everyone¡¯s expressions began to sour. It wasn¡¯t the steps of one person but of a crowd, quite dense at that. Creak! The moment the iron door to the classroom was pushed open, the already unstable tungsten light bulbs simultaneously went out. In the darkness, Groups of deformed living beings, squeezing the narrow doorframe, flooded into the classroom like a tide. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 40 Teacher Chapter 41: Chapter 40 Teacher Because the Viersman Teaching Building itself carried an oppressive, gloomy, and unsettling aura, coupled with the winding corridors and the layout resembling that of a mental hospital, everyone had been maintaining a high level of concentration since they entered the building, almost at the instant the tungsten filament lamp went out, everyone quickly lit their portable kerosene lamps, and when the radiating firelight re-illuminated the classroom, an extremely terrifying scene was revealed before their eyes. At the classroom¡¯s main entrance, a tremendously horrifying ¡°zombie¡± was crawling in, sticking to the wall. Its eyes were bound with black bandages, its mouth was pierced and sewn shut with steel wire, its body was marked with black, thick lines denoting human anatomical structures, and its spine was evenly impaled with long, coarse steel nails. As the first zombie crawled into the classroom, many more similar creatures swarmed in, their numbers even exceeding the total count of gentlemen in the class. At that moment, the gentlemen in the class touched the straps of their backpacks, [Suit]¡ú[Overcoat] instantly switching to battle stance. Only Yi Chen hesitated, his fingers about to touch the strap, paused in mid-air¡­ because he harbored certain doubts about the ¡®dangerous situation¡¯ unfolding before him. Tick! Suddenly, a droplet of saliva landed right on Yi Chen¡¯s collar. A menacing zombie was lying on the ceiling, its mouth wide open, eagerly anticipating the taste of fresh blood and flesh. Locking onto Yi Chen, it shifted to a crawling stance and fell vertically from the ceiling. Yi Chen also drew out his Hand Axe at the same time, his gaze locking on¡­ confident in executing a precise mid-air beheading. Clang! A loud noise. Before the axe could come swinging down, a heavy, iron school desk flew sideways, smashing the zombie away¡­ its head caved in completely, oozing a foul-smelling liquid. Not far off, Dagbert from the Northern Realm of Quechua exchanged a look with Yi Chen, due to the relatively small space of the classroom, he couldn¡¯t wield his greatsword, having no choice but to fight barehanded against the horde of zombies¡­ yet he wasn¡¯t losing ground at all. ¡ºDagbert¡¯s physique probably started at a [4], maybe even [5], right? He should be able to easily reach the Limit Barrier in a short time¡­ This brute strength is just too exaggerated.¡» Yi Chen took a few steps to get closer to the three-person squad, leveraging their strong cooperation and cover to reduce his own presence so as not to attract the attention of the zombies. [Visual Enhancement] His gaze swept across every zombie that barged into the classroom, observing various details on them. ¡°Hmm? This is¡­¡± He quickly noticed a ¡®problematic¡¯ detail, took a deep breath, and straightened his clothing, stepping with a formal, dignified gait towards a certain direction in the classroom, where a zombie was gnawing on a student¡¯s arm. The zombie, too, sensed someone approaching, Swish! After tearing off a large chunk of flesh from the student¡¯s arm, its head turned 90¡ã in an instant, facing Yi Chen, who was walking straight toward it. With tensed knees, the zombie was about to pounce like a wild beast when, Yi Chen, approaching head-on, did something that left everyone present bewildered. He tapped the tip of his right foot toward the side of his left foot, rotated his right upper arm gracefully, pressing it against his chest, leaned his body forward by about 30¡ã, and gave the zombie tearing at the flesh a ¡°gentleman¡¯s bow,¡± while adjusting his voice and softly saying, ¡°Good morning!¡± For a moment, all the zombies battling with the students inside the classroom stopped their movements and froze. Even though some students did not cease their attacks, chopping weapons into the bodies and shattering their bones, the group of undead remained unfazed. The ¡®undead¡¯ that Yi Chen treated with a gentleman¡¯s courtesy, transformed from a primitive and frantic crawl to a normal stance¡­ spine straightened, clink, clink, clink! The steel nails stuck in the spine successively fell off. Reaching out to remove the steel wire wedged between its teeth, eerie as it was, the wound did not bleed at all but healed and repaired itself at a visible speed, leaving no scars behind. A chilling, hoarse voice emanated from deep within the mouth from which the steel wire had just been removed: ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°William Behrens.¡± ¡°You are among the students of the past ten sessions who noticed something was amiss and discovered ¡®me¡¯ at first instance¡­ Good observation skills and sufficiently meticulous thought. How did you find out?¡± Of course, Yi Chen would not say that he had already known the teacher had certain quirks the day before and was therefore prepared in advance. ¡°Breathing¡­and subtle behavioral differences. I guess this might have been a loophole you intentionally left open, teacher, hoping we would remain calm in the face of crisis and notice these hidden details. Otherwise, with your skills, perfectly imitating an undead would surely not pose any problem.¡± Upon hearing these words, the ¡®undead¡¯ did not respond immediately, but walked past the cluttered desks, undead, and students to ascend the comparatively clean podium. He took out a black coat akin to a white lab coat from beneath the podium and slipped it over his bare upper body. ¡°This batch of students is not bad¡­ better than the previous few sessions. These ¡®corpses¡¯ that you have killed are precisely today¡¯s teaching materials; they were individuals in the early stages of infection when alive. After death, they were completely disinfected and no longer capable of spreading the disease. Subsequently, I reused them with some corpse making techniques. Now, arrange your desks properly, choose a corpse each to place on your table, and prepare for the lesson.¡± Such a bizarre pre-class procedure, as it was the first time for everyone, instinctively engendered a sense of fear toward this teacher, While they were adjusting desks and moving corpses, the teacher casually wrote his own name on the blackboard¡ªHogni Zede. He then continued with a series of strange actions. He took off the black coat, lying bare-chested on the metal podium, then commanded an undead that appeared not too bright, even with a hole broken in its head, to step onto the podium. ¡°I¡¯ll begin the [First Lesson] by simply talking to you about human anatomy; don¡¯t get distracted, record every detail. Only by understanding the human body, which is the most susceptible to infection and holds the greatest potential, can you comprehend deeper layers of pathological knowledge in subsequent lessons.¡± With that, he pulled out a sharp surgical knife from his mouth and handed it to the not-so-bright undead. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, he instructed the undead to begin with a cut to the skin of his hand, explaining the basic structure of the skin layers. Next, he used tweezers to pick out muscle fibers and nerves from beneath the skin for a detailed explanation. As Zede teacher dissected himself, he turned to the students saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about classroom discipline; if you wish to see more clearly and in greater detail, feel free to come closer for a careful observation.¡± A morning of [Pathology] concluded in an uncanny and bizarre teaching atmosphere, and it must be said that such a hands-on teaching method benefited every student greatly, advancing their understanding of the human structure even further. After class, Zede teacher, who still lay on the podium, was performing self-suturing, stuffing some of the organs he had taken out back inside his body. Yi Chen deliberately turned down post-class invitations from Edmund and others, choosing to stay in the classroom alone. When everyone else had left, Zede teacher also finished self-suturing and sat up straight. ¡°What is it, William?¡± As requested, Yi Chen handed over Professor Qian Bosen¡¯s handwritten letter and business card. Unbeknownst to him, Zede seemed to be a blind man, reading through touch by feeling the subtle embossing on the paper, After completing his tactile reading, his mouth slowly curved into a twisted smile, ¡°Knowing full well the academy does not allow me to take students individually, Professor Qian Bosen still sent you my way¡­ seeing as you are quite interesting, I suppose I will reluctantly take on this task. Remember, my expectations for the living are much higher than for the dead. And I cannot guarantee your safety; you might well die during special training.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Follow me then~ We have [half an hour] left before my time to leave is up, need to hurry back to my ¡®office¡¯.¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 41: The Basement Office Chapter 42: Chapter 41: The Basement Office ¡°` The so-called ¡°free activity time¡± is just what it sounds like. Apart from the regular teaching and the occasional free time he got, Hogni Zed would be confined entirely within this sealed teaching building, The school would provide meals three times a day and any other needs for experiments and daily life as much as possible. ¡­ ¡°His time outside is strictly limited, does the academy treat him as some kind of usable ¡®prisoner¡¯? Just how dangerous is this guy that the authorities would make such a decision?¡± Yi Chen sensed an even greater danger emanating from Teacher Zede, but he felt no fear or desire to flee; instead, his curiosity heightened, and he looked forward to the physical training. Because in the classroom, he had witnessed Teacher Zede dissect nearly every part of his body and even display his internal organs¡­ Such acts, which would have killed a man a hundred times over, seemed like child¡¯s play to Zede. Moreover, he seemed to be able to ¡°self-heal superfast and selectively¡±, such as immediately healing the parts of his body that were no longer needed to be shown after being cut open. As for the parts that needed to continue to be displayed, the wounds were kept open, and he could even actively restrict blood flow and interfere with the circulation. He had complete control over every inch of his body. If he could learn the real deal here, it would undoubtedly help his physical development greatly. ¡­ Before following Zede to his ¡®office¡¯, Yi Chen looked at the classroom filled with corpses, ¡°What about these bodies?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they were created for the purpose of the classes. The bodies have been injected with special preservatives; the shelf life is upwards of three months. Since they will still be needed for next week¡¯s classes, let them stay in the classroom.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He followed Zede down the narrow stairs of the sealed teaching building¡­ the stairs even extended below the first floor, heading deeper. Click~ Opening a hidden door. There was actually a small elevator below, leading even deeper. ¡°Are we going down further?¡± ¡°Yes~ ever since I got in trouble, my title was revoked, and my original office was renovated. Those people in the academy made me a specially customized underground office.¡± ¡°Mr. Zede, were you a professor at the academy before?¡± ¡°I barely made it to associate professor, because I was not very adept at socializing and writing¡­ In fact, I don¡¯t really like teaching students, but when I display and cut my own body in front of you newcomers, the surprise in your eyes gives me a sense of satisfaction on a mental level, which is probably largely related to the peculiar structure of my hypothalamus. That¡¯s why I chose to teach here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen had a fair idea of what a ¡°Quirk¡± entailed¡­ Of course, ¡®displaying the body¡¯ might just be one of the quirks. During the elevator ride, Yi Chen casually glanced a few times at the black cloth covering Zede¡¯s eyes, and from the details during the previous class, he could roughly tell that there was something wrong with Teacher Zede¡¯s eyes. Yi Chen was also quite curious how a gentleman with such powerful self-healing abilities like Zede could be blind¡­ If the eyes were damaged, couldn¡¯t they just heal and recover? But it was better to wait until they were more familiar with each other before asking such sensitive questions. At that moment, Little Grape¡¯s voice came: ¡°His ¡®Eye¡¯ has been deprived.¡± ¡°Deprived? Can¡¯t it self-heal?¡± ¡°I cannot sense the concept of an ¡®Eye¡¯ in him; it¡¯s completely different from the concept of eye damage or loss¡­ Essentially, in his fundamental biological structure, there is no organ of the ¡®eyeball¡¯. Thus, he cannot self-heal, and there¡¯s simply no method for repair. However, looking at this human¡¯s daily actions, he has already adapted to a life without grapes; his other senses have completely replaced the functions of grapes for observation.¡± ¡°Is this congenital?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ or it might have been conceptually stripped during an exploration in the Gray Domain.¡± ¡°` ¡°Understood.¡± Clang! The elevator descended to the very bottom. Before him, there was only a narrow arched passageway, wide enough for just one adult to pass through. At the end stood a completely sealed iron door without any viewing window, equipped with hydraulic valves. The door also had a clock-style timer embedded in it, with the last minute ticking away. Every time Zede left, the clock would start to count down, If he didn¡¯t return before the timer ended, the entire teaching building would sound an alarm, and a large number of gentlemen would rush over immediately to capture and suppress Zede. If it turned out he was attempting an escape with malice, he would also face execution. Hum! The iron door opened. Racing against the last few seconds, he stepped into Zede¡¯s office. The hydraulic valve turned, Three cylindrical locks, each two meters thick, shot out between the iron doors, embedding into the walls and locking in place entirely. The moment the door closed, Yi Chen felt as if he had completely lost contact with the outside world. The interior of the office was quite spacious, With multiple rooms, Suitable for Zede¡¯s daily life, storage, corpse preservation, personal experimentation, and some other rooms whose purpose was unknown. However, Each room was equipped with a ¡®Monitoring Living Eye¡¯. Indeed, it was a living eyeball tethered by numerous nerves, hanging in the corner, monitoring everything in Zede¡¯s office at all times. If there were any needs, one would just have to signal to the eyeball, and after a while, staff would come down to inquire about the specific situation. ¡°This is not just any office; it¡¯s more like a ¡®Private Prison¡¯ with better conditions. Exactly how dangerous is this teacher Zede, or what kind of heinous act has he committed, that he warrants such a dedicated underground prison under 24-hour surveillance?¡± ¡­ Vilsterman Teaching Building upper level¡ª[Monitoring Room] This was a room piled high with a mass of brain tissue and neural connections, also ¡®fitted¡¯ with a large number of zombie heads. These heads were produced in the cemeteries under the organization¡¯s command and were products of zombies with well-developed brains. The back of their heads were smashed open to create a ¡®data port,¡¯ into which the neural connections were inserted. The other end of the connections corresponded to the ¡®Surveillance Eyes¡¯ in every corner of the teaching building, The monitors in the room were able to get a real-time ¡®monitoring image¡¯ by looking through magnifying glasses at the pupils of the zombie heads. Areas like this ¡®improper¡¯ would never appear on Zion¡¯s surface. Gurgle~ Associate Professor Qian Bosen had arrived here an hour earlier, With just one purpose in mind¡ª To see if there would be any problems during the first meeting between Yi Chen and Hogni Zed. After hearing about Yi Chen¡¯s excellent performance in class, And watching the monitoring image of the two cheerfully taking the elevator and heading to the office, he was largely reassured. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you, Associate Professor Qian Bosen, taking an interest in a freshman and even introducing him to Zede, that sick psychopath. I¡¯m a little curious, could you share the reasons behind this?¡± The person asking was the person in charge of the monitoring area¡ªa tall lady wearing high heels, a black dress, and a mask with a ¡®dark gold brain¡¯ pattern. ¡°Zede¡¯s talents on the Physical Level are unparalleled in the entire academy¡­ My student¡¯s Profession is associated with ¡®Intelligence,¡¯ but he also wishes to develop ¡®Physique¡¯ in conjunction. I agree with his Thought, But to achieve the Multi-attribute Extreme, one must seek the best mentor. That¡¯s the reason.¡± The supervisor asked back, ¡°Even if it means risking death and losing an important talent, it doesn¡¯t matter to you?¡± ¡°Dying at Zede¡¯s hands is far better than dying outside¡­¡± ¡°Interesting, I¡¯ll pay some extra attention to this student and do what I can to prevent his Death.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Olesya.¡± Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Physical Examination Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Physical Examination Zede, the teacher, returned to his office and relaxed as if he were returning home, making exaggerated movements, seemingly deliberately showcasing himself in front of the surveillance cameras. He also enthusiastically introduced his ¡®home¡¯. ¡°The Corpse Storage Room and the Medicine Warehouse are off-limits because they contain dangerous items that only I am permitted by the academy to handle. Additionally, you must have my permission before going to my room or the laboratory. You are free to move around in all other areas.¡± Zede led Yi Chen to an empty room, ¡°This room is temporarily unoccupied. Sometimes if there is an excess of corporeal materials, and they won¡¯t fit elsewhere, they are temporarily stored here. If the special training runs too late, you can just stay here.¡± ¡°Okay¡­okay.¡± Staring at the dark, cramped temporary corpse room in front of him, Yi Chen nodded awkwardly. Just then, a pair of steady but chillingly sinister hands landed on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Professor Qian Bosen is one of the few in this academy who has been good to me. It was also because of his ¡®vote against¡¯ back in the day that I received the school¡¯s protection and was not dragged away to face Zion¡¯s judgement. So, since it¡¯s his request, I will treat it as my ¡®main job¡¯ to develop and enhance your physical abilities. You performed very well during class, but you did not exhibit any physical distinction. Therefore, before tailoring a training program specifically for you, I must ¡®deeply understand¡¯ your physical structure¡­.come quickly, I can hardly wait.¡± Smack! A pool of saliva smacked onto Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, at this moment, Zede appeared extremely excited. His Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down, with saliva continuing to ooze from the corners of his mouth. Although anticipating something untoward might happen, Yi Chen still followed Teacher Zede to his laboratory¡­precisely, a Human Experimentation Lab. All the living corpses used for teaching had been processed here. The tungsten lamps hummed, and additional candles were lit to enhance the brightness, a surgical table not yet cleaned, still stained with grime, was placed in the center, with some ¡®rotting eyeballs¡¯ scattered on the floor that even the little grapes showed no interest in. ¡°Today¡¯s class was a bit rushed, I haven¡¯t had the chance to clean up, don¡¯t mind it, okay?¡± ¡°Alright¡­okay.¡± After wiping the viscous fluid off the surgical table with a large rag, Zede made a relatively gentlemanly ¡®please¡¯ gesture, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, please lie down quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen had long known about Zede¡¯s danger, watching the surgical table in front of him, he could almost guess what ¡®deep understanding¡¯ meant. Take a deep breath¡­ He glanced at the lab¡¯s surveillance, making sure that the eyeball in the corner was watching this spot. He put all his clothes into the backpack, and lay flat on the surgical table like a corpse, Click! The hidden restraint device sprung into action, instantly locking his limbs, neck, forehead, and waist. However, there was no panic in Yi Chen¡¯s pupils, only deep breaths as he tried to regulate his heart rate. ¡°You didn¡¯t struggle at all; you truly are different from others! Past students checked by me always struggled before they calmed down. That¡¯s the way~ Only by understanding my methods can we jointly explore the secrets of the human body. Next, I will ¡®open up¡¯ your body, observe and record the inner conditions for subsequent ¡®Physical analysis¡¯.¡± In this process, you will continuously and intensely feel ¡°Pain¡±, Do not resist it, otherwise you might faint halfway through, and if you¡¯re unlucky, you might even die. ¡°Pain¡± is an important gift bestowed by higher beings, one of the most important evolutionary products for brain development, you need to learn to understand it, control it, and even fall in love with ¡°her¡±. Once you adapt, she will become something addictive, a beauty you can¡¯t forget and can¡¯t stop wanting. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± In the time that followed, the candlelight in the operating room flickered along with the fluctuations of the screams. Those ¡°screams of agony¡± that struggled out from the depths of Yi Chen¡¯s throat sounded like pleasant music to Zede, who even danced during the surgery process, whenever Yi Chen¡¯s body was about to give out, teacher Zede would cut open his own body and through ¡°blood vessel docking¡±, inject vitality, sustaining life¡­ This ¡°deep understanding¡± lasted for six whole hours. Even Ms. Olesha, responsible for the safety of the teaching building from the monitoring side, slightly frowned and wanted to intervene several times. She even doubted whether Qian Bosen had some personal grudge with this student. Yi Chen¡¯s consciousness did not last until the end of the surgery, but reached its limit midway and deeply fainted. In his confusion, he saw the black sea again, feeling the waves carrying his body, eventually bringing him ashore. Buzz! A black streak passed across his pupil. Upon waking, he was lying in that narrow, pitch-black room, or rather, thrown in here like a corpse. The backpack containing gentleman¡¯s clothes was placed aside, The first thing Yi Chen did upon waking was to check his body from head to foot to see if anything was missing. The check showed everything was normal, Even the stitches were almost invisible, The only difference was that the surface of his body was marked with thick black lines like teacher Zede¡¯s or other living corpses, representing the physical structure, and some measurements and proportions. Just after he had changed his clothes, teacher Zede entered through the door, He was still wearing only a black coat, unbuttoned, barefoot on the floor. One hand holding a large bowl of primarily vegetable food, the other holding a stack of data sheets. ¡°Eat more quickly, these are ¡®supplements¡¯ sent according to your taste by those people above, beneficial for quick recovery¡­ I know adapting to ¡®Pain¡¯ is a rather lengthy process, we¡¯ll just take it slowly. Besides, I am quite satisfied with your performance, during the physical test you held out for 4 hours and 56 minutes, far better than any of the new gentlemen I¡¯d mentored before. Most of them couldn¡¯t last more than half an hour before falling into a coma. So, have you experienced similar, long-duration pain stimulation before?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ when I was younger, I guess.¡± Again, a fragment of sealed memory slightly leaked out, quickly suppressed by Yi Chen. ¡°No wonder your adaptation is so good, it seems you already had a basis. Through ¡®Deep Understanding¡¯, we have deduced your physical foundation, potential, moldable directions¡­ and the best way to touch the ¡®Limit Barrier¡¯ physically. Overall, your body is very good and fits my style well. I must thank Professor Qian Bosen in person for sending such a fine student over.¡± Yi Chen, while swallowing food, quickly flipped through his own physical test data sheet. Detailed, even describable as ¡®exquisite¡¯ this data report. Every blood vessel, every bone¡¯s data was recorded in it, and the analysis was quite spot on. ¡°Although this teacher Zede is indeed¡­ eccentric, If I can fully adapt, I will definitely be able to obtain something useful here, fully unleashing the potential between bodies.¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Physical Training Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Physical Training When Yi Chen had finished browsing the data list and analysis report, a question arose in his heart. He recalled a lesson in pathology, where Dagbert, using only one hand, lifted a metal desk entirely and threw it, directly smacking a zombie out of the room, its head completely shattered. Even before acquiring the Gentleman¡¯s Skin, the strength he demonstrated in Green Lake Town was equally astonishing, ¡°Can I really achieve the same level as Dagbert in terms of ¡®Physique¡¯?¡± ¡°Dagbert¡­ Oh! I remember now. Is he the strong student with fair skin and perfect muscle definition?¡± Upon mentioning him, Zede couldn¡¯t help but drool, seemingly eager to dissect the other¡¯s muscles and understand the distribution of their contours. After fantasizing for a while, he continued to answer: ¡°No¡­ He has an innate talent for strength, and with just some activation training, he should be able to reach the ¡®Limit Barrier.¡¯ Even if you train day and night with me, undergoing some unconventional physical transformations, you wouldn¡¯t be able to gain that kind of strength within two years either. However, it seems you have misunderstood one thing, ¡®Physique¡¯ encompasses not only strength but also endurance, resilience, and other aspects directly related to the physical body. What we need to do is pick the attribute that suits you best, amplify it through special training, and achieve the so-called limit. Don¡¯t worry, I have already designed the optimal plan for your physical growth! As long as you can hold on, reaching the ¡®Physique¡¯ limit within two years is definitely possible. I personally have high hopes for you.¡± As he said this, Zede teacher slowly cracked a smile, even breaking a few fine lines at the corners of his mouth, meaningfully patting Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Understood, I will persevere.¡± Following that, Zede pulled an uncapped pocket watch from his coat pocket, using touch to determine the time on it. ¡°Due to your unconsciousness, it is now ¡®three in the morning.¡¯ The academic building is closed at this time, forbidding entry or exit, so you¡¯ll have to stay here tonight. We shouldn¡¯t waste any more time~ Quickly eat up this food and start the special training.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ okay.¡± Zede squatted there, tearing at his eerie, large mouth, facing Yi Chen¡­ quietly waiting for him to finish the food. However, this bizarre atmosphere did not affect Yi Chen¡¯s eating; he was very aware of the importance of nutrition replenishment. Just like the ¡®scramble for food¡¯ during his life at the Orphanage, everyone would be gathered in a dark room, where a giant pipe overhead would only dish out half the amount of food for the number of people, not only did he need to compete for food with his ¡®playmates¡¯, but the rats in the darkness were also formidable opponents, if he failed to grab enough food, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fill his stomach¡­ and in the subsequent continuous games that lasted for a long time, he would inevitably be drained of energy and ultimately be ¡®eliminated.¡¯ Recalling this experience, Yi Chen¡¯s eating speed became even faster, even burying his entire head into the bowl, Seeing this, Zede gently patted the back of his head, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t rush~ eat slowly, we have time.¡± Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts were dragged back, and he responded softly, ¡°Hmm¡­ I just thought of some unpleasant things.¡± Not long after~ Ding! The empty food bowl was thrown on the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s start the special training, Mr. Zede.¡± ¡°Yes, follow me!¡± Zede, still wearing only a black coat, led Yi Chen back to the main hall of the office, and when he lifted the carpet, a passage leading down to deeper depths was revealed. ¡°There¡¯s more below?¡± ¡°Correct¡­ Above here is just my ¡®office,¡¯ used for my personal research and mental exercises. My body couldn¡¯t possibly get enough relaxation and movement in this cramped office area. When the academy decided to place me here, I naturally made a request for a space to be built where I could relax my body¡ªthe ¡®paradise.¡¯ Zede, once again excited about ¡®paradise,¡¯ eagerly led Yi Chen downward. As they proceeded down the secret passage, a faint smell of rust mixed with stench targeted their nostrils like tiny needles, forcing Yi Chen to rub his nose. Despite the silence, he thought he could faintly hear the distant, faint screams coming from below. Stepping out of the secret passage, Zede promptly turned on the power switch on the side wall. Click! The wall lamps hanging here all utilized red glass, casting a red light that, like two sinister blood-stained hands, actively unveiled the mysterious curtain of ¡®paradise¡¯ for the visitors. Although Yi Chen had prepared mentally in advance, the scene displayed before him instantly triggered the biological instinct to flee, even though he was trying to restrain himself, Yi Chen still took a step backward. ¡°Welcome to my paradise!¡± Zede, like a proud host of the paradise, spread his arms wide, presenting the deep red venue behind him to its fullest extent. About three to four hundred square meters of basement, was filled with various types of ¡®exercise equipment¡¯, all personally designed by Zede, who later handed over the designs to the academy to have the finished products made. Zede jogged to a corner of the paradise and waved at Yi Chen from the entrance. ¡°Come quick! Say hello to the monitors here. The folks at the academy are very stingy; we must have their approval before we can start the special training¡­ Otherwise, if you accidentally die during the workout, they would hold me accountable. Of course, I believe you can survive, you won¡¯t die that easily.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ okay.¡± Yi Chen stood in front of the surveillance camera, squeezing out a smile as best as he could. Shortly, the surveillance eye began to bob up and down. ¡°Oh! The folks at the academy are quite generous today, agreeing so quickly. Let¡¯s start the special training then! Today is your first visit to the paradise, start with some simple equipment. See that treadmill? Get on and run to your heart¡¯s content; you absolutely cannot stop until your physical strength is completely drained.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± He looked in the direction Zede was pointing. The all-metal treadmill had restraints at the handles, and once strapped in, one couldn¡¯t leave¡­ unless they tore off both arms. The most horrifying part, the tread was covered with nails ranging from 2 to 5 centimeters long, thickly packed, and each step inevitably landed on them. If one failed to keep up with the speed of the treadmill, because the arms were restrained, the lower body would come into close contact with the tread, getting shredded by the nails. However, the spiked treadmill, being in ¡®Zed¡¯s Paradise,¡¯ was only entry-level equipment he himself wouldn¡¯t deign to use; it was even covered in dust. Before stepping onto the treadmill, Yi Chen had a small question, ¡°Mr. Zede, is this intended to train my endurance?¡± ¡°Endurance is just one aspect, think about it¡ªif an attack hits you and not only is there no pain, but it feels rather comfortable¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be a huge advantage? What I really want to grant you is control over the ¡®physical body¡¯. For us humans, the body has never belonged to the brain; it has always had its own thoughts, you can think of the body as a playful little cutie, it ostensibly belongs to you, looking quite obedient, but actually often does little tricks behind your back, going on strike when upset¡­ even hoping you¡¯d die sooner. For instance, taking a hammer to hit the knee, even though the brain sends no such command, it would voluntarily display those enticingly tender little legs. Just a slight external stimulus, and it would cry out in distress, sending a slew of pain signals. Only by continuously damaging and repairing it can you deepen your relationship, turning it into your most loyal other half.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen accepted this notion begrudgingly. ¡°By the way, before you step on the treadmill¡­ make sure to take all your clothes off. ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ is a great thing, but it won¡¯t help our special training, try not to get it dirty.¡± Yi Chen changed into the casual clothes he had bought in Easton Town. Taking off his shoes, he stepped onto the treadmill, securing his arms tightly to the handrails of the treadmill, Zede even thoughtfully pushed over a circulating infusion device, one end connected to Yi Chen¡¯s wrist veins, the other connected to a fluid reservoir beneath the treadmill, ensuring that the blood flowing out during the run would be continually pumped back into Yi Chen¡¯s body, avoiding fainting due to blood loss. As the special training began, Zede brought over a stool and watched, as if enjoying his favorite TV show, savoring the sight of Yi Chen, the agonized runner. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 44 Half a Year Chapter 45: Chapter 44 Half a Year ¡°` [One week had passed] The basic attribute value hadn¡¯t changed due to the special training, on the contrary, Yi Chen¡¯s mental and physical appearance had become extremely listless, and his whole body had lost a lot of weight, his hair also beginning to fall out in clumps. During the Pathology class on Monday, Edmund and others were shocked by Yi Chen¡¯s condition when they saw him, and they tried to offer him some material help, but were all refused. Yi Chen only gave a simple reply¡ª[Special Training] Upon confirming the flicker of determination in his dim eyes, Edmund asked no more. For the first week, he spent about 80% of his time in Teacher Zede¡¯s ¡®paradise,¡¯ and also slowly began trying out equipment other than the treadmill¡­ Just as his body started to adapt to one piece of equipment, it would immediately be thrown off balance by a completely new device. [The second week] The attribute value remained the same, Yi Chen¡¯s condition hadn¡¯t improved, and the top of his head was now largely reflective¡­ He even appeared to have aged a decade or two, beginning to wear a coat and put on a hood in his daily life. Walking between the teaching building and campus, he resembled a walking corpse. A rare rest night came on Sunday, and he staggered back to the dormitory. Little did he know, Professor Qian Bosen with an owl on his shoulder was waiting for him. ¡°Your physical condition is very bad, and the accumulation of injuries inside your body could all turn into sequelae, putting your future at great risk¡­ Do you want to give up, William? If you just nod, I will immediately contact the institute to cut off all ties between you and Zede, change your Pathology class, and ensure Zede won¡¯t have any further contact with you. Tonight, I will send you to the [Clinic] inside Zion for comprehensive treatment.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor Qian Bosen¡­ I can feel that my body is undergoing some subtle transformation, and I want to continue to persist.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Positive¡­¡± All of a sudden, Professor Qian Bosen who was several meters away almost teleported right in front of Yi Chen, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder, ¡°I indeed wasn¡¯t wrong¡­[Pain] is the most suitable physical catalyst for you. To reach the ¡®Multi-attribute Extreme,¡¯ one must pay a far greater price than others. Moreover, you don¡¯t have to worry about the monthly task requirements, I will submit a ¡®task delay¡¯ application for you to the school. However, the academy doesn¡¯t encourage this kind of isolated training, after all, the ultimate purpose of training gentlemen is to eradicate Pathogens, and direct contact and practical experience with Pathogens is the most meaningful action. Therefore, the maximum limit for task delay is [half a year]. Within this half-year, you need to fully adapt to Zede¡¯s special training and allow your body to slowly recover during the continuous period of pain¡­ After six months, you must complete a task that is presentable. The tasks of a gentleman are not as simple as those in Green Lake Town, everything is unknown.¡± ¡°I will be ready, thank you, Professor.¡± ¡°I look forward to the state you can achieve in half a year.¡± ¡­ [A month passed] The attribute value remained unchanged, and the physical state was just as bad. However, the deterioration and aging of the body had slowed down, during which Yi Chen even skipped a class on gentleman¡¯s etiquette and a class on Pathology. [Two months passed] Although the attribute value stayed the same, his physical condition had begun to improve. The most important thing was that his hair had started to grow back. During class, Dagbert, who possessed exceptional talent in physical power, also noticed that Yi Chen¡¯s body was undergoing subtle changes. This change, unlike his or most people¡¯s physical growth, was not about refining, exercising, and shaping the existing physique. The sensation Yi Chen brought was like tearing apart and grinding down the original body completely and then reconstructing it from the most basic stage, rebuilding a set of body that was more suitable for himself and easier to control. Three months Four months Five months Over these months, Yi Chen gradually returned to his original appearance, and his spirit also slowly recovered¡­ but the value of his physique remained at [2]. On the surface, it seemed like everything had returned to the start, as if nothing had happened. Moreover, after these months of training, ¡°` The daily special training routine and schedule had long been established. As soon as Yi Chen¡¯s physical strength was completely drained, Teacher Zede would shut down the equipment immediately. Carrying Yi Chen¡¯s thoroughly exhausted body, he¡¯d throw him into a bathtub filled with nutrient solution to soak until he woke up. If he could wake before the Viersman Teaching Building closed, he would be able to return to his dorm to sleep, If he woke up too late, he would have to continue training there. ¡­ The time had come to the ten days before the six-month deadline. Vilsterman Teaching Building ¨C Underground Area Like normal, Yi Chen was undergoing special fitness training¡­ but today was different. Zede touched the hands of his pocket watch, his expression grave. Training had gone overtime, Yi Chen should have exhausted his energy and completely collapsed half an hour ago. However, he sat on the rowing machine full of steel spikes, with his palms completely penetrated, maintaining a high-frequency rowing exercise. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Zede did not inform Yi Chen that he had already gone past the time limit, and spoke instead with the usual tone of special training. ¡°That¡¯s enough rowing machine practice for now. Go take a brief rest on the treadmill.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen smoothly disengaged from the rowing machine and swiftly wrapped his pierced palms with bandages. Without stopping, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm, and stepped onto the most leisurely treadmill. During the run, Yi Chen suddenly turned his head, ¡°Mr. Zede, may I run a bit faster? I don¡¯t know why¡­ but I feel like my body is getting lighter.¡± ¡°Hmm, just follow your and your body¡¯s inclination. From now on, you don¡¯t need to seek my opinion for anything,¡± Zede instructed for the last time and then fell silent, seemingly waiting quietly for some kind of change to occur. Hiss hiss~ Zede¡¯s cochlea picked up a sequence of faint sound signals, produced by the squishing and trembling between human pores. For a moment, billows of red mist were released from Yi Chen¡¯s running body, as if the blood within him was evaporating, in reality, the total volume of blood used for recycling within Yi Chen¡¯s body didn¡¯t decrease. What was expelled were merely the clotted blood and residual pain that had built up in his body over time. The more blood mist was emitted, the lighter Yi Chen felt and his speed on the treadmill increased even further, until the red mist almost completely obscured him, revealing only a rapidly running silhouette. Next, an even more bizarre event occurred. Yi Chen¡¯s skin began to undergo large-scale ¡®shell formation¡¯ and was detaching from his body¡­ crack~ a whole piece of shell-like skin fell off, and Zede swiftly stood up, catching it in his hands. Touching the perfect, flawless human skin shell, Zede entered a state of extreme excitement. ¡°Purification, shedding skin¡­ just one last step to go!¡± A new layer of faintly red skin covered Yi Chen¡¯s surface, and one could even see new tender roots squirming under the skin and intertwining with the blood vessels. Dozens of seconds passed, and the tender skin matured gradually, turning into a normal skin tone and texture. It was more flexible, delicate, and closer fitting than before, and hair grew at a visible speed, quickly reaching a half-year¡¯s length and draping over his shoulders. Boom! A loud noise accompanied by the clatter and impact of various metal fragments. The overused and severely aged metal treadmill was directly run to explosion by Yi Chen. Against the backdrop of the red mist and metal debris, a long-haired young man emerged, stark naked, with a small flesh ball growing on his shoulder, waving his arms like waves, teeth chattering excitedly. The young man picked up an organization backpack, put on some long-missed suits, at that moment, the Gentleman¡¯s Skin clinging to his body immediately detected the dramatic changes in his physique and projected the transformation data onto his retinas. [Physique] has increased from [2] to [3] *Special Note: Physical essence has changed, making it easier for physique values to increase. *Proficiency in ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯ has improved. Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Gentleman Hall Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Gentleman Hall [Fetal Heart Church] In Professor George Chamberlain¡¯s office within the White Eagle W.O. A tentative sparring session was underway, with the White Feathered Owl standing in the corner, watching the battle intently. The sparring did not last long, a total of 1 minute and 37 seconds¡­ but for the participants, it was an astonishingly long time. Ha ha ha! Chamberlain¡¯s usually stern and rigid demeanor was thrown aside as he laughed carelessly. The owl seemed to sense its master¡¯s joy, hooting incessantly. Having reached a certain age, he had not laughed like this in a long time. ¡°I knew it, you were bound to inherit such a special, unique physique from Zede¡­ This broadens your future further. Looking over the whole of Zion, aside from Zede, only you possess such traits related to physique. I look forward to the day you reach the Multi-attribute Extreme.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± ¡°Your timing is also quite good~ only the last ten days are left in your six-month period. Are you prepared for the task?¡± ¡°As soon as I leave here, I¡¯ll immediately head to the Gentleman Hall in Zion.¡± ¡°Hmm! I¡¯ll remind you again, though. While the academy doesn¡¯t require specifics about what tasks you complete or their difficulty, you need to maintain a high standard for yourself. Don¡¯t choose the easiest, safest tasks, hoping to just get by¡­ Always opt for something a bit harder, with some risk and unknown elements. If you can¡¯t adapt in advance, when you venture out of the city alone and face real dangers, you¡¯ll certainly die.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡­ Clang clang~ the train was moving This was Yi Chen¡¯s first departure from the academy in half a year, the scene of Eternal Night blocked by the school gates, and when the long-missed sunlight fell on his body, Yi Chen felt as if his whole body was being awakened, possibly related to the photosynthesis of the plants within him. It was like being reborn, a young sapling sprouting in the palm of his hand, Yi Chen¡¯s lips curved into a smile, filled with expectation for the future, ¡°This feeling is really great.¡± When the train entered the station in the ¡®Street District¡¯, three familiar faces were already waiting outside the window. As soon as he got off the train, a slightly fragrant British cologne-scented arm wrapped around Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders. The deep blue suit pressed against Yi Chen¡¯s black suit, their skins rubbing against each other. Under the blonde hair, an English face, somewhat resembling Aaron Taylor Johnson, moved closer, none other than his classmate ¨C Edmund Mariano. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been waiting for you for ages, if our delay here causes us to miss out on a suitable task, William, you¡¯ll have to cover the expenses for the rest of the day. I don¡¯t mind spending a night in a luxury hotel.¡± ¡°Sorry, I was held up a bit at Professor Chamberlain¡¯s¡ªlet¡¯s hurry up and get going.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal, I was just kidding. New students at the academy with the ¡®Task Assignment¡¯ privilege can pick a task at any time, there¡¯ll always be appropriate tasks available for us. Come on, our destination¡ªGentleman Hall.¡± During this half-year period, though only attending two classes per week, thanks to Edmund¡¯s persistence, their relationship had grown somewhat closer. Occasionally, Yi Chen would also discuss physical development with Dagbert, who also specialized in physique. The reason for forming a team, was because Edmund had guessed the significance of this six-month milestone and took the initiative to invite Yi Chen during a recent Pathology class. This time, unlike in Green Lake Town, Yi Chen did not refuse, firstly because the six months spent together had helped him better understand Edmund and others. Secondly, he now felt competent enough to team up with the elite trained from childhood like Edmund, without worrying about exposing a ¡®newbie¡¯ trait. Within half a year, Edmund¡¯s team had successfully completed five missions. For Yi Chen, who had never undertaken a mission before, his involvement would undoubtedly provide some experiential assistance. Fourth, and most importantly, Zion had a clear requirement, that gentlemen like Yi Chen, who were still students, must undertake missions in teams to reduce the fatality rate. Thus, Edmund¡¯s team welcomed a new member, expanding its size to four people. ¡­ [Gentleman Hall] One of the important buildings within Zion City, located in the central street district, a Gothic structure spanning lower, middle, and upper floors. Taking the elevator to the ¡°street district-lower level¡± Through winding alleys. With their chests and backs nearly against the damp walls, squeezing through a narrow alley, they successfully arrived at a relatively elevated, spacious triangular intersection. A massive building, far surpassing the surrounding structures in terms of standards, refinement, and aura, stood at the intersection, [The-Gentleman-Hall, Gentleman Hall] A tall black metal plate with various patterns spanned the middle of the building, With a large number of flying buttress structures on both sides of the building, not only beautiful and magnificent, but also emphasizing the towering nature of the building, giving an impression of soaring straight into the sky. The top of the building also had a prominent round window with a wheel-like window mullion structure, the center of which displayed the organization¡¯s emblem¡ªG & D. ¡°William, this must be your first visit here, right?¡± Although Gentleman Hall is classified as a[Public Area], it fundamentally serves as a department with a high degree of intelligence, even involving core secrets. There is strict division of areas and management of people¡¯s flow inside. As newcomers, we have access to very little and our mobility is restricted to the lower level. We¡¯ll talk about the details of task assignments when we get today¡¯s task list.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As they walked through the main entrance, A nearly two-meter tall gentleman wearing a black mask and mechanical glasses looked down, checking everyone¡¯s physical condition. Click~ As the circles on the mechanical glasses turned, passed the check! The guard immediately made a very polite gesture to invite them in. The lower level hall was structured like a ring, with numerous individual counters, each manned by staff behind thick glass, very similar to a bank¡¯s setup. Yi Chen, visiting for the first time, looked around and saw no stairs or elevators leading to the upper levels. ¡°Can¡¯t we go directly upstairs from the lower level?¡± ¡°We can¡­ as long as our[Rank]is sufficient. By making a request to the staff here, they can guide us to the middle or even upper levels to undertake missions of higher secrecy and difficulty, but let¡¯s talk about that later.¡± The four approached a nearby counter. With an experienced air, Edmund pointed to Yi Chen behind him, ¡°Our team would like to add an additional member; can we process that right here?¡± ¡°Show me the relevant documents.¡± Yi Chen standing behind immediately handed over his student identification issued by the academy. This document had two noteworthy facets, 1. A stamp of deferred tasks for a maximum period of six months. 2. A stamp from the ¡°First Gentleman¡± indicating acceptance The staff member couldn¡¯t help but look up carefully at this unique new gentleman. ¡°Please wait, the ¡®Comprehensive Index¡¯ of the team with the extra member will need to be redrawn¡­ It will take about ten minutes to give you a task list fitting the team¡¯s standards.¡± Having said that, The staff member hung up a[Service Suspended]sign and got up to go to the higher levels to explain the situation, such a special student ID soon caught the attention of a certain manager. ¡°Hmm? A rare ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ acceptee, being a promising newcomer, why was there a need to spend half a year recuperating at school? Moreover, the deferral request came from that ¡®White Eagle.¡¯ Additionally, This team also consists of three top students, the completion of the first five missions was very high, all rated as excellent. Well then~ according to three times the newcomer gentleman index, incorporate him into the team. And assign them some more unique tasks.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 46: 3 Tasks Chapter 47: Chapter 46: 3 Tasks [Gentleman Hall] The crowd sat quietly on the bench painted brown, waiting. Edmund took out the pocket watch with the family wing emblem from the inner lining of his coat, ¡°Today¡¯s process is a bit slow¡­ Is it because of William¡¯s joining? Usually, a task list would be delivered within ten minutes, but today it¡¯s almost half an hour.¡± At the edge of the seat, with a black veil over her face and her hands gently resting on her thighs, Juliana spoke leisurely: ¡°William, due to special circumstances, is executing a mission for the first time after half a year, and since he has met the First Gentleman before, it¡¯s more difficult to assess his strength. Perhaps those above are still discussing and negotiating.¡± ¡°That makes sense, Normally, those who score above 95 points are task monsters who snatch up tasks whenever they have a bit of free time¡­ It is indeed rare to directly take half a year off, let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± Until forty minutes had passed A middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing a white bowtie and a tilted top hat, appeared before everyone. Hollow cheeks and prominent cheekbones naturally gave him a stern aura, and he also wore a badge symbolizing his special status on his chest. ¡°Supervisor!¡± The well-informed Edmund recognized the badge and realized that this man was one of the supervisors of the[Gentleman Hall], primarily responsible for the troublesome issues above, communicating with high-rank Gentlemen, Doctors, and other strong characters, rarely appearing in the lower sectors. The man did not reply, but instead, he fixed his gaze on Yi Chen, sizing him up and down. His purpose for coming down was to personally see what the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ receiver looked like and why he needed to rest for half a year. After observing, aside from an unknown pet hidden in the shoulder and the unseen ¡®Emblem¡¯, he concluded with two words ¨C[Ordinary]. Compared to those talents who had been to Zion and met the First Gentleman upon their arrival, he possessed neither wildness nor any particularly distinct traits¡­ At least on the surface, the trio including Edmund seemed more outstanding. ¡°Considering the condition of your team objectively, I have raised the difficulty slightly and selected three missions myself. The list is right here for you to choose. If you find the three tasks on the list unsuitable, we can arrange to replace them with a different set. Of course, the difficulty won¡¯t change much.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After handing over the envelope, the supervisor did not leave. He sat on the bench next to them, waiting for their decision¡­ He also indicated that they should not rush, as he had plenty of time. Upon opening the envelope, three exquisite parchments of cowhide material were taken out. 1.[Ghost Village Sacrifice] Event Location: Southeast Jungle of Helwen Valley (72km from Zion) Pathological Testing: Pathological transformation confirmed (100%) *Category: Spiritual Pathology Requirements: Penetrate the primitive village, identify the pathological root. Effectively seal off the area, and eradicate the root along with all villagers, leaving none behind. Difficulty (People): ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î Special Reminder: There¡¯s a high chance of encountering ¡®Severe Patients¡¯ in the village, with a very small probability of encountering ¡®Patient Zero¡¯ *Patient Zero, an exceedingly rare patient, though inflicted with pathological transformation. At the stage of ¡®Patient¡¯, they can completely free themselves from all control of the original pathogen, possessing absolute independence. If you encounter and confirm a Patient Zero during the mission, try to persuade them to either return to Zion, or to the nearest[Clinic]or [Graveyard]. Basic Reward: several silver coins, an old-world ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ 20cm x 20cm, Task Points (premium) +1. *Depending on completion level, discovery of additional clues, etc., additional rewards may be provided. *If more than 20% of villagers escape, it will be considered a mission failure. 2.[Suspected Pathological Apartment Building] Event Location: Dexston City (103km from Zion) *Foreword: According to the investigator from the incident location, the apartment building at 73 Leiken Street often experiences tenant disappearances (eleven cases); no abnormalities were found after investigating using conventional methods. Pathological testing: Not yet found (suspected of deep concealment, the pathogen is in a latent growth stage) Requirement: Assist Gentleman Investigator Lambert Cherno in determining the cause of disappearances in the apartment building. Difficulty (Human): ?? (Unable to assess difficulty until the presence and level/category of the pathogen are determined) *If a hidden pathogen is discovered, based on Investigator Lambert¡¯s judgment of the incident, take action to eliminate, request organizational support, or evacuate immediately. Special Reminder: The difficulty of this task cannot be assessed, and there is a possibility that the apartment building itself is a dangerous pathogen. Please consider carefully whether to accept this task. Reward: To be drafted temporarily based on the results of the final investigation and handling of the incident. 3. [Secret Medicine Recovery] Location of the incident: Viner City (approximately 51km from Zion) *Foreword: Due to the ¡°False Moon incident¡± that erupted two months ago, over 90% of the residents in Viner City died instantly, completely paralyzing the city and ultimately turning it into ruins. The [Twilight Clinic] built on the outskirts of the city area was also severely affected and was forced to be abandoned recently. One week ago, a Gentleman Team responsible for recovery within the organization went to the Twilight Clinic to perform ¡®Secret Medicine Recovery¡¯, but due to erroneous information provided by the clinic, it was discovered during a subsequent manual check that one bottle of secret medicine had not been recovered. Pathological testing: There is a small probability of residual pathological remains from the ¡°False Moon incident¡±. *The pathological main body causing the False Moon incident has been completely eliminated by gentlemen among the organization, so there is no need to worry. Requirement: 1. Go to the [Twilight Clinic] to recover the overlooked secret medicine. 2. If the secret medicine cannot be found, use the organization-issued Polaroid to photograph every corner of the clinic, to obtain proof that the secret medicine might have been stolen. Difficulty (Human): ¡ï¡ï¡ï+? (It is uncertain whether the residues of the False Moon incident are in a condition of rapid growth, making the difficulty potentially greater than three stars) Special Reminder: Once you decide to accept this task, you can apply to view some information about the ¡®False Moon incident¡¯. Basic Reward: Several silver coins, a 20cm¡Á20cm piece of ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ with an old-world aura, and a premium task point (+1). *Depending on the completion degree and the discovery of additional clues, additional rewards might be given. *If the secret medicine bottle is brought back, based on performance, each person could receive one or several drops of the secret medicine source liquid. ¡­ The three tasks made Edmund¡¯s scalp tingle, one more uncertain than the other. Apart from the first task, which was slightly more stable, the difficulties of the other two varied. The highest difficulty of the tasks he had accepted before was two and a half stars¡­ He had encountered an unexpected dangerous situation in one mission, which nearly caused Dagbert to permanently lose an arm, and it took them half a month to recover after returning. Of course, through six months of learning and hands-on experiences, the three¡¯s skills had improved, and the team had also added Yi Chen, the recipient of the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯. Taking on tasks of three stars or three and a half stars was considered reasonable. The usually quiet Juliana suddenly suggested in a low voice: ¡°Captain¡­ should we consider the third task? Tasks related to ¡®Secret Medicine¡¯ rarely appear and are high-rank tasks usually accessible only to high-rank gentlemen. Based on the foreword, since the recovery team went there a week ago, the clinic must have been cleaned during the recovery of the secret medicine. If we can use this task to obtain the secret medicine source liquid early, it will definitely benefit our subsequent rank advancement.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what type of secret medicine it is yet, and the ¡®False Moon incident¡¯ might involve some ancient elements¡­ I¡¯m not sure about making this decision. William, what do you think?¡± Yi Chen simply responded, ¡°My thoughts are similar to Juliana¡¯s, benefits exist alongside risks.¡± ¡°Okay~ Even if we ask the supervisor for a replacement, the difficulty probably won¡¯t be much less. This task is also relatively close. If we¡¯re lucky enough, perhaps we could bring back the secret medicine in one day. However, I have one personal request. Let¡¯s officially start this task either tomorrow or the day after. This is our first time facing a three-star or even higher difficulty task, and we need to be fully prepared before departing.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 47: The False Moon Incident and the Pathological Stage Chapter 48: Chapter 47: The False Moon Incident and the Pathological Stage ¡°` When Captain Edmund confirmed their choice, the supervisor sitting beside showed a relieved expression, seemingly guessing that they would make such a decision. ¡°The information regarding the ¡®False Moon¡¯ incident is classified and stored in the middle-level archives¡­ What you can see is only the part related to the mission and has been processed and embellished. Remember two things, 1. Once you have viewed the documents, you cannot abandon the mission. If you fail to complete the mission as scheduled, you will face severe reprimands and undergo memory erasure. 2. If you intentionally leak information about the False Moon incident and the situation is severe, you will be expelled from the organization and banished from Zion. If there are no problems, then follow me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Since there was consensus within the team, there was nothing to hesitate about. The supervisor led them behind the unoccupied counter, and after a simple identity verification, they took the staff-exclusive elevator to the middle-level area of the Gentleman Hall, which is dedicated to high-rank gentlemen seeking to push their limits with related tasks, unlike the open counter format on the lower level. The middle-level area offers a high degree of privacy and is equipped with a large number of private rooms for task reception, where every high-rank gentleman who comes here will receive a ¡®one-on-one¡¯ professional reception. The four-person team was also led by the supervisor to one such private room, and soon after, a document bag sealed with a G&D wax seal was brought over by the supervisor, who personally broke the seal on its surface. At the same time, he took out a delicate mini hourglass from his sleeve. ¡°You have ten minutes to read, make it quick.¡± ¡®The False Moon Incident*¡¯ On ¨€¨€/¨€¨€/371, Viner City, an indirectly governed city by the organization, unexpectedly experienced the ¡®False Moon¡¯ incident at ¨€¨€:¨€¨€ that night, despite no anomalies being reported from local investigators or the Twilight Clinic beforehand. The pitch-black night sky, supposed to be shrouded in fog, became unusually clear, with two identical full moons hanging in the sky, immediately drawing the city residents¡¯ attention. Even though the gentlemen investigators sounded the citywide alarm immediately, they couldn¡¯t prevent the incident from occurring. According to simulations conducted afterward, in just the two minutes before and after the alarm sounded, over 60% of the residents had witnessed the ¡®False Moon.¡¯ Within the following hour, residents in the city area that had looked directly at the False Moon developed ¡®Moon Scars¡¯ on their necks and began to exhibit initial symptoms of infection, indiscriminately attacking non-infected city dwellers. It was at that critical time that Doctor Macaul, head of the Twilight Clinic, immediately took his clinic staff and joined forces with the local gentleman investigators to enforce suppression. During the suppression, thanks to secret measures planted by Doctor Macaul* (classified), they succeeded in finding the root of the problem that caused the ¡®False Moon incident,¡¯ a special patient with excellent disguise abilities who had blended in among the residents. By then, he had reached the state of ¡®Open Source,¡¯ his disease known as Moonscar. Although they successfully lured out the Open Source patient and finished him off, our side paid a terrible price. Almost all local investigators perished, Doctor Macaul was left half-crippled and has been in a deep coma, still not out of danger. The reinforcements that arrived later scoured every corner of Viner City, turning the entire city to ruins. ¡­ Upon finishing reading, Edmund¡¯s cheeks too began to drip with sweat, ¡°Open Source patient? Doctor Macaul seriously injured and in a coma, almost all local investigators wiped out, this¡­¡± Yi Chen was also frowning, staring at the key term ¡®Open Source¡¯ in the document. It reminded him of the pathology lesson from two months ago. Teacher Zede had provided a very interesting lesson, ¡®Stage Description of Physical Pathologized Beings,¡¯ which outlined the stages of disease transformation that afflicted living beings undergo, as well as the dangerous forms they could assume as they matured. ¡ÚPhysical Pathology¡Û Here we take [human beings] as an example; differences with other mammalian species are minor. The more different a species is from humans, the greater the variance in its pathological transformation. [Pathological Stage]: ¡°` Also referred to as the initial stage of infection. Pathogens can be categorized into two main classes depending on their characteristics and the way they infect humans: 1. ¡°Physical Pathology¡± 2. ¡°Psychological Pathology¡± Individuals in the initial stage of infection do not possess, or have very few, pathological traits and generally have weak aggressiveness, making them easy to eliminate. They typically opt to disguise themselves and hide away, spending this phase in the unknown corners and shadows, until the pathogen has fully taken root in them, forming a ¡®pathogen structure¡¯ with distinct features, at which point individuals can be referred to as patients. Patients, retain full consciousness and see themselves as part of the ¡®disease.¡¯ They possess threatening pathological traits and will instinctively invade and infect the surrounding unpathologized normal life. The innkeeper and his sister encountered in Green Lake town are such patients, only their self-control is exceedingly strong and close to that of ¡®Patient Zero¡¯. [Pathological Stage] Patients who achieve a certain condition or conditions, such as: surviving for a sufficient length of time, infecting a certain number of living beings, absorbing the essence of other patients, and so on, will formally enter the pathological stage. The ¡®pathogen structure¡¯ and the patient will undergo a deeper level of combination during this stage, becoming an integral part of the body¡¯s structure, no longer as conspicuous as boils or rashes. Instead, they will masquerade as an organ or merge within the flesh, making them difficult to detect (weakness hidden). At the same time, the individual¡¯s pathological traits will significantly strengthen, and their body¡¯s structure might undergo fundamental changes, such as: growing abnormally large arms, developing wings capable of flight, or sprouting an additional brain capable of storing mental energy and aiding in computations, and so on. Those who perfectly pass through this stage are collectively referred to as severe patients. Gentlemen of ¡°Rank: Human¡± are almost impossible to kill severe patients on their own, and even if encountered by a team, there is still a significant risk. [Open Source Stage*] Teacher Zede originally didn¡¯t intend to continue discussing this pathological stage, because the new gentlemen, guided by the organization, are given tasks of appropriate difficulty and generally will not encounter such beings. If one does come into contact with them, there is only one outcome: death. However, owing to Yi Chen¡¯s arrival and his exceptionally good mood that day, he satisfied everyone¡¯s curiosity by briefly discussing some basic concepts. A very few patients can achieve ¡®perfect fusion¡¯ with their own pathogen structure¡ªa fusion that touches upon the soul¡¯s depth. Once reached, the patient will touch upon the Origin Disease that stems from the ancient Old World, and the individual will undergo a ¡®qualitative¡¯ change, their bodies will exhibit some ¡®Old World characteristics¡¯ that go far beyond reality, their strength will vastly surpass that of patients, no longer bound by the conventional weaknesses of pathogens, instead, there will be a tube-like structure resembling a ¡®health bar¡¯ suspended above their heads, representing the ¡®Origin Disease¡¯ they carry, which is indicative of their total life force. Such beings often hide this feature, which can only be glimpsed by those well-versed in Ancient Living Text. They are collectively referred to as [Open Source]. One must resort to specific extermination methods to deplete their ¡®health.¡¯ Only when the fluid within the tube-like structure has been completely drained can one inflict genuine damage on these beings. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Finalizing Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Finalizing The description related to ¡°Open Source¡± couldn¡¯t help but remind Yi Chen of past events on the lake, where he encountered that terrifying existence in the Fish Scale Abyss. However, based on Yi Chen¡¯s recollection of that scene, the being that existed in the abyss had reached a rank probably even higher than Open Source¡­ It was a deeper and more ancient special rank. It was somewhat related to the origin of the Pathological. ¡­ Slap! The manager snapped his fingers. He signaled the end of the hourglass¡¯s timing and simultaneously sealed the documents. ¡°As you have seen, the mastermind behind the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ corresponds to an Open Source patient whose Pathological Traits are closely related to the ¡®moon,¡¯ belonging to a rare special type. He transcended ordinary concealment abilities, allowing him to completely blend in with humans and eventually almost wiped out the city. However, the Open Source patient has been slain, and the False Moon Incident already passed two months ago and was cleaned up a week ago. You just need to go to the abandoned clinic and confirm if the last bottle of secret medicine still exists.¡± Captain Edmund tried to ask something more in-depth: ¡°Can we get information about the secret medicine?¡± ¡°Only when you successfully bring back the secret medicine, completing the mission, will you be informed if the secret medicine is ¡®partially compatible¡¯ with you. What I can tell you now, is that the secret medicine developed by Twilight Clinic, due to its ¡®special effects,¡¯ has been classified as a crucial secret between organizations.¡± As the manager spoke, he took out four Polaroid cameras and an important photograph. The photograph displayed the secret medicine exclusively developed by Twilight Clinic. In the mottled glass bottle was filled with silver liquid, the oak stopper at the mouth was covered with disgusting stains, and from the label, which had yellowed on the bottle¡¯s side, you could roughly see a line of crooked, handwritten text. ¡°Twilight Clinic¡¯s exclusive research and development ¨C Dusk thin silver liquid¡± ¨C Dr. Macaul. The manager¡¯s fingers tapped on the photograph¡¯s surface like typing on a telegraph: ¡°According to the style of the medicine bottle in the photo, find the remaining secret medicine¡­ If you can¡¯t find it throughout the clinic, take pictures of every corner to prove that the secret medicine has been stolen. It¡¯s that simple; if there are no issues, you can leave now.¡± Edmund immediately responded, ¡°We are prepared to start tomorrow.¡± ¡°No problem, you are indeed newcomers! Just complete this task before the end of the month¡­ If there¡¯s nothing else, that ends our discussion for today. Good luck!¡± As everyone was about to stand up and leave the table, Yi Chen, who had been deep in thought, suddenly interjected: ¡°I have a question¡­ Is all the content in these documents true?¡± The manager, already turned away, hesitated briefly before turning back: ¡°Oh? Do you think the information I personally provided could be false?¡± ¡°It just overall gives off a subtle sense of inconsistency.¡± ¡°What you have are only ¡®partial documents,¡¯ a lot of classified information has been removed, to fill the gaps maintaining the readability of the article, artificial embellishments and additions had to be made¡­ A slight sense of inconsistency is quite normal. Any more questions?¡± ¡°No more.¡± The manager was quite personable, personally escorting the four out of Gentleman Hall, waving his hand in a very friendly manner as they parted. Watching the four¡¯s retreating figures, he muttered softly: ¡°The recipient of the First Gentleman and three newcomers who received the blue letters, just what can they achieve? He adjusted the tilt of his top hat, turned back to Gentleman Hall, and as the manager walked back to the upper district, Professor Qian Bosen, with an owl perched on his shoulder, was already there waiting for him. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this the renowned White Eagle? What brings you here, to take on a dark task?¡± Qian Bosen did not respond to the tease but went straight to the point and asked: ¡°I heard you entrusted the task related to the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ to William, Edmund, and the others?¡± ¡°I merely provided an option, the choice was theirs to make.¡± Upon hearing this, Qian Bosen directly strode up to the manager. Although the two men were about the same height, Qian Bosen¡¯s presence completely overwhelmed the other. ¡°Aiji, we know each other. As the manager of the hall, you should be more aware of the importance of talents¡­ The False Moon Incident is not entirely over, and even if there¡¯s only a ¡®very small possibility,¡¯ should anything happen, they would all die.¡± Manager Aiji slightly leaned back, smiling in response: ¡°I merely arranged the task according to the ¡®algorithm.¡¯ Their team¡¯s credentials matched the mission to retrieve the secret medicine, that¡¯s all. Of course, considering the minuscule inherent risk, I will arrange for a High Rank Gentleman to secretly observe and, should the danger exceed the task itself by far, do everything possible to ensure their safety.¡± ¡°No need to arrange it, I will take responsibility¡­ Wait a minute!¡± Suddenly, Qian Bosen realized something, ¡°You little rascal, you guessed from the beginning that I would intervene, right?¡± Manager Aiji quickly raised his hands, an innocent look on his face, ¡°Ah? I didn¡¯t say anything! Since Professor Qian Bosen happens to be free, there¡¯s no need for me to arrange someone else.¡± Snap! A hand, like an eagle¡¯s claw, clasped onto the manager¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aiji, it seems you¡¯ve been quite free lately too? Even having time to come downstairs and personally greet the new gentlemen¡­ How about, we both ensure the safety of these young ones together? After all, they¡¯re just going to Twilight Clinic to retrieve a bottle of secret medicine; it won¡¯t take much time.¡± Aiji, who had been looking for an excuse to refuse, suddenly felt a wave of killing intent. ¡°Hmm~ That works. I am indeed quite free lately. These youngsters won¡¯t be leaving until tomorrow, let me have tonight off, Professor Qian Bosen?¡± As soon as his words ended, Only a single white feather remained on the manager¡¯s shoulder as Qian Bosen had disappeared. ¡°Ah~ I underestimated it a bit. I didn¡¯t expect this White Eagle to care so much for this student. It seems that this young man, who took a half-year break, really does have some Hidden Traits that I failed to see. Well~ even just to satisfy my own curiosity, I guess I¡¯ll accompany these young people for a bit.¡± ¡­ ¡®Street District¡¯ Edmund paid out of his own pocket to equip the squad with all the essentials needed for leaving the city, such as various Medicines, compressed food, camping tents, etc. Just as he was about to purchase replacement fuel for the kerosene lamp, Edmund suddenly noticed that the ¡®kerosene lamp¡¯ Yi Chen carried on his waist was just an ordinary civilian product, unsuitable for gentlemen in combat. ¡°William! You need to replace this kerosene lamp. This old-style kerosene lamp can easily be damaged during combat¡­ and the place we¡¯re going to has been completely abandoned; we often need the kerosene lamp to provide sustained light.¡± However, Yi Chen was still immersed in his thoughts about the mission and took a while to react. ¡°Hmm? Kerosene lamp¡­ Is there something special about it?¡± ¡°Of course! In such a terrible world, any external investigation might plunge us into complete darkness, and a kerosene lamp is an essential item to carry. It is also recognized by the organization as one of the must-have items for gentlemen. Zion also has quite a few shops that specialize in selling kerosene lamps; there¡¯s still plenty of time today, so let¡¯s go pick one out together?¡± ¡°High-quality kerosene lamps must be expensive, right?¡± Edmund patted his chest, ¡°No worries~ if you don¡¯t have enough money, I can cover it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll repay you in the future.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t refuse, Having realized the importance of a ¡®kerosene lamp¡¯ from the time he was born in a cemetery, and looking at his own lamp, covered in rust, large in size, and squeaking when he ran, he indeed needed a replacement. They walked into a lamp shop named ¡°Helios¡¯s Holy Fire.¡± Glancing over the price tags at the bottom of the lamps, He touched the few remaining silver coins in his belt and the notion of fleeing quickly sprang to Yi Chen¡¯s mind. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 49 Kerosene Lamp and Secret Medicine Chapter 50: Chapter 49 Kerosene Lamp and Secret Medicine Expensive. And not just ordinarily expensive. Yi Chen¡¯s salary from working in the graveyard for several months plus the special bonus amounted to just over a hundred silver coins, yet the cheapest kerosene lamp here costs 500 silver coins. But it must be said that¡ª the kerosene lamps sold here are quite good, minimizing the size while ensuring lighting properties and, no matter how you shake it, it won¡¯t affect the combustion inside. The lantern and base are both made of impact-resistant materials; some of the pricier kerosene lamps even have defensive, mysterious runes etched into them to greatly reduce the chances of damage during battle. At that moment, Edmund stepped out from a special partition in the shop, holding a particularly unique kerosene lamp. ¡°William, what do you think of this one! Feels like it suits you.¡± The lamp Edmund chose was primarily black, with a raven specimen perched on the top of the lantern. The corpse of the raven had undergone special treatment, filled with a kind of firm yet flexible special material, never decaying. It¡¯s worth mentioning that¡ª the raven¡¯s eyeballs were replaced with two distinctive rubies, bestowing a strange liveliness to the dead raven. In addition, the opening for replacing the fuel was specially designed in the style of a ¡®black-framed wooden door,¡¯ making the kerosene lamp resemble a private cabin; the campfire burning inside shining out of the windows, illuminating the outside world. The shop assistant, as if encountering a big customer, introduced it enthusiastically: ¡°The kerosene lamp in your hand is named [The Crow Night]. The inspiration for this kerosene lamp comes from Mr. Edgar Allan Poe¡¯s ¡°The Raven¡±. Handcrafted by our senior lamp master¡ªGnome, featuring flexible glass and imprinted with a ¡®Resilience Rune¡¯, the lamp base, handle, and all metal decorations are made from cold iron from gravesites over ten years old, and our shop also provides a lifelong free replacement of long-lasting fuel, priced at 4,800 silver coins.¡± Edmund furrowed his brow slightly, ¡°It¡¯s a bit pricey~ William, what do you think?¡± ¡°Too expensive, let¡¯s look somewhere else.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yi Chen decisively left the shop. Such an amount was something he couldn¡¯t afford. When the team members saw this, they left one after another, though Edmund lagged behind slightly in pace. When he came out, he carried an extra delicately packaged handbag bearing the Holy Fire trademark in his hand. A step caught up beside Yi Chen, and the handbag was deftly hung upon his wrist. Contained within the handbag, to his surprise, was precisely the raven-decorated kerosene lamp. ¡°Hmm!?¡± ¡°After you left the graveyard, you¡¯ve been resting at the academy, and probably don¡¯t have much money¡­ For me, this is just two months¡¯ living expenses. Once we successfully complete a three-star or higher difficulty mission, we¡¯ll naturally receive a generous silver coin reward. Since it¡¯s a subjective purchase on my part, I¡¯m not sure if this kerosene lamp is to your liking. If you really want to repay me, just give me half of your share when the mission is done.¡± Seeing Edmund¡¯s sincere face, and also considering the upcoming, rather challenging Gentleman mission, Yi Chen eventually accepted the gift. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yi Chen took the kerosene lamp out of the handbag, the sense of lightness and comfort in his hand was beyond imagination, as if holding the soft surface of a bird¡¯s body, soft and comfortable. At the same time, this dark-style kerosene lamp also matched Yi Chen¡¯s overall temperament. Edmund had already pulled some distance away, evaluating Yi Chen from head to toe. ¡°My judgment was indeed not wrong; this kerosene lamp seems tailor-made for you. By the way, William, do you want to tidy up your [Black Long Hair]? Although it also fits the aura of coming out of a graveyard, this long hair might hold you back in battle.¡± ¡°Long hair, huh?¡± Yi Chen touched his shoulder-length hair that had grown quickly during his physical recovery. He himself didn¡¯t mind it, in fact, he liked it somewhat. In his previous life, he almost always had short hair, but now, he wanted to try this longer hairstyle. Maybe it was related to the changes in his body, but he also wanted a change. Moreover, this long hair also served as a ¡®record¡¯ of this extraordinary half year, with its own commemorative significance. ¡°It feels pretty good this way; no need to trim it.¡± ¡°How about this¡ªlet Anna help you tie it up, then? This way, you¡¯re fitting for battle and can keep the long hair. Give it a try.¡± Coaxed by Edmund, Yi Chen agreed. With Juliana¡¯s skilled handling, keeping the bangs and sideburns, and tying a bun in the middle at the back, he instantly looked much more refreshed. ¡°Hm~ very nice! This hairstyle suits you¡­ Oh right, do you want to change your weapon?¡± Edmund¡¯s demeanor suggested he was prepared to give Yi Chen a ¡®major makeover.¡¯ ¡°No need, I¡¯m quite comfortable with this Hand Axe.¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s indeed well-made, but it falls into the category of basic equipment. ¡°` If we could acquire Pathological Crystals or even more precious materials during this mission, once we return to the city, you could use them to craft weapons that are more suited to your hand. The weapons used to hunt Patients are as important as our limbs.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡­ It must be said, the family behind Edmund is quite wealthy; they even own a mansion in Zion. Later, he treated everyone to a lavish meal and enjoyed a full-body massage before battle. After a day of conserving energy, both physically and mentally adjusted to their peak, they headed to the Gentleman Hall early the next morning to submit their task execution letter. A high-end carriage from the organization was also waiting at the entrance of the hall, which was several grades higher than the carriages Yi Chen had taken before. It was drawn by horses that had undergone genetic enhancement, their physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary horses, and they possessed traits of disease resistance and self-healing. You could even see muscle tissues similar to feathers on the sides of the horses. The carriage, with its compartmented windows and closed curtains, was solid and steady, and it also came equipped with an emergency power generator, so that if anything were to happen to the horses, it could still rely on electrical power to maintain high speed and escape from certain pursuing dangers. After the coachman emphasized some basic issues, the journey to the destination ¡ª Viner City ¡ª officially began. Although the distance on paper was 51 km, due to various mountainous terrains, the trip was expected to take three and a half hours. While everyone was casually discussing the mission, Yi Chen suddenly brought up a question that had been weighing on his mind. ¡°Speaking of which, what is ¡®secret medicine¡¯? It wasn¡¯t mentioned in the course.¡± For a moment, the carriage fell silent. In the end, it was Edmund who answered the question: ¡°It seems that, William, you have spent most of your time over the last six months on yourself, so you haven¡¯t learned about information related to the organization¡­ Let me give you a brief explanation. When we talk about secret medicine, we must introduce two other important concepts, ¡®Doctor¡¯ and ¡®Clinic¡¯. When we first came to Zion, we met a doctor on the bridge, you should remember.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yi Chen remembered Edmund mentioning that doctors are a special group of people among the gentlemen, with unique and powerful abilities, and after being recognized by the organization, they are bestowed with a ¡®Doctor Certificate¡¯. Edmund continued: ¡°¡®Clinics¡¯ are somewhat similar to tailor shops; they are important institutions that are recognized and supported financially by the organization and are set up externally. Clinics provide medical services such as treatment and removal of Pathological traits for gentlemen who are nearby or in transit on missions. They also serve as a special armed branch, providing support when emergencies arise in the surrounding areas. But the most crucial and important aspect of the clinic lies in the ¡®secret medicine Nostrum.¡¯ To set up a private clinic and obtain the organization¡¯s support in terms of manpower and materials, a doctor must submit a ¡®secret medicine manuscript¡¯ and samples, The organization will conduct thorough checks and evaluations, and only after confirming the value of the secret medicine will it approve the clinic, while also requiring the clinic to regularly send a fixed amount of the secret medicine to the organization. If the production is high and the value exceeds expectations, the organization will also increase the clinic¡¯s budget, increase the number of apprentices, and various other forms of support. Typically, the raw materials for secret medicine are often taken from Patients, After processing and refinement through the doctor¡¯s unique, personal methods, a potent medicine that does not carry Pathogens will be produced. This is the most important and core secret of each clinic. In general, we can divide secret medicine into three categories. 1. Healing Class The effects of healing class secret medicines far surpass ordinary medicines, enabling a rapid recovery of physical strength, and breaking through one¡¯s original limits. Some can even provide a temporary state of Superfast Regeneration, keeping an individual in an ¡®Undying State¡¯. 2. Combat Class This category of secret medicine activates and enhances a certain trait possessed by the gentleman, granting a significant enhancement for a certain period. If the secret medicine does not match the individual¡¯s trait Attribute, it may cause a rejection reaction, and in severe cases even lead to Death. 3. Potential Class This category is relatively rare and extremely valuable. It can enhance an individual¡¯s ¡®Sensing Psyche¡¯ for a certain period. It is often used for exploring important areas in the Gray Domain or achieving a breakthrough in Rank. The above three categories are what I¡¯ve learned from my family¡¯s books. Given how many years the organization has developed, there may well be entirely new categories of secret medicine. In summary, secret medicine plays an irreplaceable role in our fight against Pathological conditions. There are also cautionary aspects, the dosage of secret medicine for different individuals is very strict. If taken in overdose, it can cause irreparable and massive damage to the individual, and even lead directly to death¡­ It may also induce hidden illnesses from the secret medicine, causing internal Infection in the user. As we progress beyond the stage of being newcomer gentlemen, we will gradually come into contact with more and more secret medicine, substances that can save our lives in times of crisis.¡± ¡°` Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 50 District Chapter 51: Chapter 50 District Hearing the description of the secret medicine, Yi Chen once again fell into deep thought, However, he wasn¡¯t pondering the concept of the secret medicine or matters related to the Doctor or Clinic, but rather, he was combining some descriptions and details of the secret medicine with this mission and found a rather strange point. ¡°Edmund, you said the raw materials for the secret medicine come from the ¡®Patient¡¯. Is it possible that the False Moon incident that erupted in Viner City is related to the development of the secret medicine?¡± Upon hearing this, Edmund suddenly froze, with his index finger poised at the center of his lips. ¡°William~ these kinds of remarks shouldn¡¯t be made lightly. Moreover, the event information presented to us by the Organization already made it clear that the patient named ¡®Moon Scar¡¯ possesses a concealment ability that transcends those of a similar rank. The ¡®False Moon incident¡¯ erupted suddenly without the Gentlemen of the locality or the Clinics being aware.¡± Edmund, born into a great family, had been instilled with the ideals of a gentleman since childhood and had previously seen Doctors who visited his family. In his heart, he firmly believed that those Doctors who had qualified to open a Clinic were unquestionably noble in character and would not be directly or indirectly involved in such a nefarious event. ¡°I¡¯m just speculating, after all, you just mentioned that the production of secret medicine requires the use of ¡®Patients¡¯.¡± Edmund also realized his reaction might have been a bit too intense and adjusted his posture to explain some matters about the Clinic. ¡°Correct, the core component of secret medicine indeed comes from patients. However, the Organization has clear rules that these patients must come from ¡®hunts¡¯. The Clinic after all is established by powerful Doctors, and some gentlemen, who have graduated from the academy and are stuck before the Limit Barrier, choose to be employed as apprentices at the Clinic to gain relevant experience. Generally, a Clinic will have more than ten Gentleman¡¯s Studies apprentices.¡± ¡°The way these apprentices ¡®pay tuition¡¯ is by hunting in the vicinity, bringing back valuable patients to the Clinic. These hunted patients not only provide raw materials for the secret medicine but also have research value in and of themselves, which is very significant for humanity¡¯s understanding of ¡®Pathological¡¯.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yi Chen continued to ask, ¡°Then why must the ¡®Clinic¡¯ be built close to the city?¡± ¡°Two reasons, 1. As a special armed department, the Clinic works in tandem with the local gentry to ensure city safety and provides medical services to passing gentlemen. Additionally, the Organization also requires the Clinics to conduct random screenings at regular intervals for city residents, to provide free health exams and more thoroughly eliminate latent pathological transformations, 2. Based on many years of combating ¡®Pathological¡¯ diseases, humans are found to be most susceptible to pathological influences and have the fastest growth and mutation rates. This is possibly directly associated with our self-awareness as humans and our desire to explore the unknown. Therefore, most Clinics are established on the outskirts of cities, ensuring city safety while also being able to acquire raw materials with the greatest expedition.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After this exchange, Yi Chen¡¯s gains were quite substantial. The half-year¡¯s special training had left him with no time to read books. He had made up his mind that, once the event concluded, he planned to visit the Great Book Library between the academies to gather more knowledge of the world. At this moment, a slight disturbance came from his shoulder, reminding him of a ¡®friend¡¯ who hadn¡¯t shown up for a long time. ¡°Little Grape, you seem quite excited.¡± ¡°How could I not be excited? We were stuck in that damn lecture hall for an entire half-year, and even though your physical changes were somewhat interesting, this grape still prefers to come outside and see the world. My heart yearns for the outside world, for all those novel, differently colored, uniquely flavored ¡®grapes.¡¯ Fortunately, the mission you guys chose this time is quite interesting, actually involving ¡®Open Source.¡¯ In my shattered memories, there exist traces of ancient records, and if I could taste the grapes from an Open Source patient that contain ancient auras, I wonder how thrilling that would be.¡± ¡°` ¡°The incident report from Zion should be reliable, the real culprit behind the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ is already dead. We won¡¯t encounter them¡­ Besides, even if we did, could we survive?¡± ¡°Given our current state, we would inevitably die, and it would be a terrible death. Ah~ You really are no fun, I was just fantasizing a bit. As long as we can get our hands on some mutated grapes related to Open Source patients on this mission, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± ¡°Hmm, All the grapes from the patients we kill during this mission will be yours. Since the mission is focused on searching, your Visual assistance is quite important, Little Grape. Don¡¯t get lazy when the time comes.¡± ¡­ A three-hour carriage ride. The coach is about to reach the site of the False Moon Incident ¨C Viner City. The front window of the carriage opens, and the coachman wearing a metal mask speaks for the first time: ¡°As a protective measure for the new Gentleman, I¡¯ll cut through Viner City and drop you directly at the Twilight Clinic. Of course, you can also choose to detour through the relatively safe suburbs.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go straight through the city.¡± Edmund made that decision for a simple reason: the carriage could isolate Pathological elements, and even if they encountered Patients lurking in the city, they would definitely not be able to catch up. Crossing the city would allow a rough assessment of the danger level of the mission. ¡°Then pay attention. If we¡¯re attacked by Patients, the carriage will double its speed¡­ Don¡¯t get thrown off. I won¡¯t stop and wait for any of you,¡± the coachman said. In the midst of conversation, the carriage officially entered Viner City, this pitiable city that had experienced the False Moon Incident, now a ruin. Almost every building had signs of damage, large or small, and some structures were completely collapsed, severing the city streets. Even though two months had passed since the incident, one could still smell the rotten and fishy odors in the air¡­ paired with traces of blood on the ground, light poles, or buildings, it was as if one could still hear the screams echoing through the streets and alleys. It was hard to imagine that a normal city, with a population of over ten thousand, inhabited by Gentlemen and monitored by clinics, turned into a living hell overnight. At that moment, Yi Chen deeply tasted the bitterness of a certain ¡°disease,¡± the flavor of Despair. As he was staring at the moving streetscape and zoning out, Little Grape provided a window of Vision with a burst of ¡®Peeping Sense.¡¯ ¡°Oh, something¡¯s watching us from the shadows. Looks like we¡¯ll get our grapes soon¡­ But they¡¯re not coming after us, just watching from the darkness. It¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± Little Grape¡¯s words dragged Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts back. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because these creatures born of the moon need to wait till nightfall to become active?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very possible. I¡¯m looking forward to these guys undergoing some changes at night to add flavor to the grapes.¡± While conversing with Little Grape, Yi Chen also relayed the situation to his team. Edmund asked, ¡°Can you determine their numbers?¡± ¡°I can clearly sense no more than three sources of Peeping, but I don¡¯t rule out others I haven¡¯t detected, as well as Patients still sleeping deep within the ruins.¡± ¡°Hmm. Our main activity area will be the Clinic, let¡¯s try to avoid contact with the city as much as possible afterward.¡± After half an hour of rapid driving, the carriage smoothly exited the city area, following a winding road into the countryside. A small hospital-like building with a similar architectural style to Zion was being built on a small hill here, snugly close to Viner City. From this height, the doctors and apprentices of the clinic could get a good overview of the general situation in the city. ¡°` Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 51: The Abandoned Clinic Chapter 52: Chapter 51: The Abandoned Clinic The coach stopped on the highway at the foot of the mountain. The coachman, wearing a metal mask, cautioned, ¡°After you complete your mission, walk east along this road for three kilometers, and you will meet me at the fork there. If it takes more than a week, you¡¯ll need to walk back to Zion.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Looking up at the small hill that leaned against the Vinar District, in the world before Yi Chen¡¯s demise, it would surely have been developed into a tourist spot, perhaps with cable cars, entertainment facilities, or even a temple at the peak. However, there were no elevators or cable cars here, not even a stone step pathway, the four could only tread the steep mountain paths and lean on trees, experiencing the most primitive joy of mountain climbing. During the climb, Yi Chen even nibbled on some bark while using touch to perceive the conditions between the hills. Nothing happened along the way, not to mention danger; they didn¡¯t even see a small animal. It was as silent as death. Climbing the final stretch of the slope, through gaps between the trees, the clinic¡¯s front door, built with large rough-cut stones and cast in dark steel, gradually emerged. Gargoyle statues positioned above the wall replicated the style seen in Zion City, only most had cracks, chips, or were entirely shattered, losing their intended function. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re here¡­¡± Edmund stretched lazily, seemingly casual in his actions, but he was actually adjusting the team¡¯s order. Dagbert, carrying a huge sword, walked to the foremost position, with Edmund and Juliana side by side behind him, forming a stable triangular formation. This was entirely habitual behavior for them. Edmund glanced at the new teammate, ¡°William, your visual senses are better than ours; during the initial exploration phase, why don¡¯t you stick close to Dagbert?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The four reached the gate, Dagbert extended his thick arm stamped with the ¡°Muscle Emblem¡±, his fully open palm rested on the iron door, shifting his weight, his feet sinking into the ground, he forcefully moved the door¡¯s gear mechanism with brute force. Dagbert¡¯s profession¡ª[Warrior]¡ªwas chosen from the Blue Letter. Trait¡ª[Muscle Development] further activates the individual¡¯s muscle potential, optimizing and rearranging muscle cells, raising the standard upper limit of [Physique] with an additional seventh standard¡ª[7.Transcend]. This allows individuals to break through their physical limits and reach higher levels. ¡­ The closest, Yi Chen, could clearly see Dagbert¡¯s arm muscles rhythmically moving as he pushed the door, like rolling waves, endowing him with infinite strength. ¡°Such a powerful physique! The augmentation brought by the [Profession] is indeed terrifying~ If I had chosen the Blue Letter at the beginning, maybe I could control the various plants on the hillside and even turn roots into spears like zombies, significantly increasing my combat power.¡± However, Yi Chen was merely musing, if he had to choose again, he would still pick the Purple Letter. They stepped through the gate. A three-story main building came into view, the front yard was flattened, and there were many footprints left by the recovery team. The doors and windows of the main building were nearly destroyed, and there were some cracks on the walls, but the structure still maintained its integrity with a solid foundation, looking like an old clinic completely abandoned by time. Following the stone main road straight ahead, they would arrive at the entrance of the Clinic¡¯s main building. A metal sign that read [Twilight Clinic] hung vertically beside the front door. At this moment, Edmund gave the operational instructions: ¡°The first day¡¯s exploration doesn¡¯t need to be too meticulous, just to understand the clinic¡¯s structure and identify potential hazards¡­ Make sure not to act alone, always move as a team.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± They lit the kerosene lamp and all stepped into the abandoned Twilight Clinic. [First Floor Lobby] As soon as they entered, they saw a large portrait of Doctor Macaul on the ground, its upper area above the mouth completely burnt. The counter by the door was also in shambles, all drawers were pulled open, and various discarded documents were scattered all over the floor. Directly opposite the entrance was an elevator that could reach the Second and Third Floors, but its iron cabin was severely deformed, as if a fierce fight had taken place inside, and it was no longer in operation. Besides, Seeing the elevator and wall lamps, it was evident that the clinic once operated on electricity. Due to the lack of electricity, the hallways leading to the left and right were pitch black and their ends invisible. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the right.¡± After some exploration, although the abandoned clinic was eerily gloomy, there was no danger throughout, not even small grape¡¯s ¡°Vision¡± detected anything unusual. A simple three-story hospital structure. Beyond the lobby¡¯s elevator, stairwells were also located at the ends of both sides, The first floor was the most typical treatment area, Ordinary gentlemen injured or suffering from surface infections would receive quick treatment here¡­ If they wanted to buy some medicines or even secret medicines, they could also make secret trades here. The left side of the second floor was the inpatient department, and the right side was the surgery room, Specifically for some gentlemen with severe injuries, who might be in immediate danger of death. There were also a set of professional standards here; if the injuries surpassed a certain limit or the degree of pathology reached a standard, the clinic had the right to refuse treatment, or even execute preemptively. Some gentlemen, realizing they were beyond help, might also come here, seeking ¡®euthanasia¡¯ and offering their disease-ridden bodies to the clinic as research material. The left side of the third floor was for apprentices¡¯ resting area, and the right side was for tools, routine medications, and a storeroom of miscellaneous items. However, Everyone also discovered a problem; there was no area related to secret medicine in the main building. ¡°Is it in the back?¡± They left the main building through the front door and walked around to the backyard along the walls. There they found a completely metal-sealed tower, nearly clinging to the edge of the hill. On the way to the tower, numerous warning signs were inserted into the ground, all in different languages. [Dangerous Area, No Access to Outsiders] [Clinic Restricted Area,Trespassers to be Held Accountable] [Unauthorized Entry to Building, Clinic Has the Right to Execute] ¡°Is this tower where the secret medicine is produced?¡± The tower¡¯s main door had been completely destroyed by a recovery team, After the crowd passed through a cold and gloomy stone-built passageway, Inside the tower, a rather nasty area unfolded before their eyes, starkly different from the style of the main clinic building. [Material Refinement Area] Even after two months, The air was still thick with a pungent smell of blood, The firelight from the kerosene lamps, reflecting off a considerable amount of blood and liquid, presented a deep red scene. Even though most of the refining equipment had been completely destroyed, only a few remnants of apparatus remained. Yi Chen could still reconstruct an incredibly brutal and chilling ¡°Torture Arena¡± in his mind. The reason he was so sensitive and could reconstruct it to such an extent was due to his intense training over the past six months. Teacher Zede¡¯s ¡®paradise¡¯ had left a deep impression on him; once he encountered factors like torture or pain, he would be the first to notice and recall unpleasant memories. Besides, There was also a circular staircase built into the wall, leading to the upper level¡¯s ¡°Secret Medicine Processing Area¡± and Doctor Macaul¡¯s office. Spending a long time here, Yi Chen could even imagine some of the past pain and danger; many patients here endured agonizing pain on the brink of death, which puzzled him greatly, ¡°Why must they treat ¡®patients¡¯ so cruelly? Isn¡¯t directly extracting and stripping the needed materials enough? Must they resort to these nearly lethal methods to ¡®force out¡¯ the required materials from within the patients?¡­ What exactly is this so-called ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯ made of?¡± Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 52 Moon Night Chapter 53: Chapter 52 Moon Night [Day One] The four of them conducted a basic exploration of the Clinic¡¯s main building and the Secret Medicine Tower, though they hadn¡¯t yet discovered the ¡°leftover secret medicine.¡± However, they had fully memorized the basic layout and architectural structure of the Clinic. They planned to conduct a detailed search tomorrow, checking every room and every corner, taking photos, and trying to find any possible hidden passages or secret rooms. Nightfall The group reached the third floor of the main building, and chose a relatively clean apprentice room with intact windows and doors to use as a resting place during the mission. They also brought over two extra beds from next door and converted them into bunk beds. Of course, it wasn¡¯t possible for all four to sleep at the same time, so they arranged for everyone to take turns keeping watch throughout the night, especially since the ¡°False Moon incident¡± also occurred at night¡­ It was entirely possible that the Clinic, which seemed safe during the daytime patrols, might welcome some unusual visitors at night. There were also survivors hidden in the city ruins, who might also come up the mountain at night. Ding~Ding~ Sitting on the lower bunk, Edmund knocked on the edge of the upper bunk. ¡°William, when the three of us used to operate together, taking turns keeping watch has become a habit¡­ You don¡¯t need to participate in the watch tonight, considering the detailed screening tomorrow will significantly increase your ¡®eye usage.''¡± ¡°Oh~ok.¡± Yi Chen, from the upper bunk, was slightly startled, but then agreed. He wouldn¡¯t decline because ¡°sleeping¡± was a very important aspect in Yi Chen¡¯s personal philosophy. Any lack of sleep could lead to problems in brain function, causing inefficiency and a series of mistakes, ultimately leading to serious consequences. ¡°You still seem to be thinking about the matter of the Secret Medicine Building?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± What Yi Chen saw in the Secret Medicine Building had made him doubt the essence of the Clinic. He didn¡¯t witness any gentlemanly conduct, just a mad rush to survive the apocalypse by any means necessary. Could such deviations from gentlemanly conduct lead to apprentices in the Clinic, or even powerful Doctor Staff, to be invaded by Pathological Thinking? Edmund¡¯s blonde head slowly emerged from the edge of the bed, his slightly feathery, blue pupils fixating on Yi Chen: ¡°Hmm~ I can generally understand your thoughts. Since you have doubts about the Twilight Clinic and Dr. Macaul, take this opportunity to thoroughly investigate and find out the true nature of the Clinic and the truth behind the development of the secret medicine. If we truly discover something wrong here, we¡¯ll collect the evidence and report it to the higher-ups of the organization through my family¡¯s connections or through Professor Qian Bosen on your side.¡± ¡°Get some rest, in case there is some emergency at night that won¡¯t allow us to sleep.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The clothes made from Gentleman¡¯s Skin seemed to sense the individual¡¯s desire to rest, automatically raising their ¡°looseness¡± to the maximum, the outermost coat wrapping around the body like bedding, enhancing thermal insulation, the lines within the clothing stimulating the subcutaneous nerves, functioning as a hypnotic to slow down brain activity, leading to rapid sleep onset. The raised collar also perfectly covered the ears, automatically blocking out ambient noise while amplifying any suspicious sounds. ¡­ Midnight. When the clock¡¯s hands overlapped, aligned perfectly overhead, the moon, previously obscured in the skies, seemed to personally swat aside the thick foggy curtain, displaying her pale, round body to the world. Or rather, to the hillside area where the Clinic was located. Moonlight poured down, causing the surrounding forest and the stairway floors inside the Clinic to emit thin wisps of gray mist. This mist wouldn¡¯t disperse with the wind, it behaved more like a liquid, flowing on the ground, crawling on the walls. Crawling through the pipes, the clinic, originally silent and empty, seemed to welcome a ¡°new birth¡± under the moonlight, as the lifeless ¡°objects¡± slowly awakened amidst the stirring gray fog. Strange noises emanated from the inpatient department on the second floor of the clinic. It sounded like a metal stand continuously hitting the floor, mixed with the sound of flesh crawling. Eventually, these sounds completely melded into one¡ªclack! clack!¡ªturning into the sharp and crisp sound of high heels. It was as if a night shift nurse had forgotten to change her shoes, beginning her rounds through the clinic¡¯s corridors. ¡­ The night watcher at midnight was Dagbert. The rest of the personnel were deeply asleep, enveloped in their bedding, trying to fully recover from the day¡¯s mental exhaustion. At that moment, Yi Chen and Edmund, who were sleeping on the same bunk bed, both sensed an anomaly from outside at the same moment and immediately woke up. ¡°What¡¯s happening! Where are the two of them?¡± Though the apprentice¡¯s room was meant for four, only the two of them were left. There was no sign that the door had been opened, and moreover, Edmund was certain that his teammates would not have left on their own; something must have happened. ¡°Edmund¡­ the moon has risen!¡± Yi Chen¡¯s voice came from the windowsill, He wasn¡¯t looking directly at the moon outside, but instead saw a blurry reflection of part of the moon through a piece of broken glass. As Edmund received this information, his expression turned extremely grim. ¡°Could it be! The ¡®remnants¡¯ of the False Moon incident, after fermenting for a whole two months, have grown in the shadows and can now create a ¡®moon illusion¡¯ like the former Open Source patients.¡± These creatures that spread Pathological through the ¡®moon¡¯ were active at night. Is it that only after midnight do the clinic and the surrounding city reveal their true appearance?¡± Yi Chen nodded, then analyzed, ¡°The disappearance of Dagbert and Juliana is probably related to the appearance of the ¡®moon¡¯¡­ Considering the worst-case scenario, we need to find them as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now, as long as they stick together, the problem isn¡¯t too severe. Their strength is no weaker than mine; in good condition, they should manage for a while. Now let¡¯s focus on our own situation, and assess the risks inside the clinic¡­¡± Before he could finish, the room¡¯s floor and walls suddenly emitted flowing gray fog, at the same moment, the clothing on both men began trembling slightly, actively resisting the intrusion of the gray fog. This situation shocked Edmund greatly, causing him to involuntarily blurt out a professional term. ¡°Grayification¡­ How is that possible!?¡± ¡°Grayification¡­¡± Yi Chen recalled the term from his Pathology class. It had been explained in detail in the classroom by Teacher Zede, ¡°Grayification is a precursor to a region¡¯s transformation into the Grey Zone, characterized by the gray mists permeating the environment, a special carrier of Pathological. Under its influence, all matter will undergo transformation, even the desks we use in class could become diseased. Given your current rank, exploring the Grey Zone is still premature; even the Grayification stage before the Grey Zone fully forms is quite dangerous. If encountered, try to avoid contact. If you¡¯re very confident in your strength, you might try playing around in the Grayification area.¡± Clack! Clack! Just then, the crisp sound of high heels came from outside the door, snapping Yi Chen out of his recollection of the concept. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Abnormal State Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Abnormal State The clinic was silent, when the piercing sound of high heels, like nails constantly drilling into the eardrum surface, was heard¡­ It even felt as if the heels were made of long nails, to produce such a disconcerting noise. Moreover, the sound of high heels advancing was intermittent, stopping briefly after each stretch. Captain Edmund also quickly realized the reason for the ¡®intermittence¡¯, ¡°Is that guy checking each apprentice¡¯s dorm on the third floor one by one?¡± Yi Chen nodded, ¡°Quite likely¡­ If that¡¯s the case, it indirectly means that the other party is not aware of our exact location, our current situation is not exactly passive. I¡¯ll take a peek, see if I can get a clear view of what¡¯s checking the rooms.¡± Edmund was somewhat puzzled, ¡°How can you take a look? Going out now isn¡¯t a smart choice.¡± ¡°No need to go out.¡± Yi Chen pointed to his shoulder, then gave it a gentle jab. A black meatball slowly squeezed out from the collar, with a small black hand stretching and yawning as if still half-asleep, completely indifferent to the ongoing ¡®Grayification¡¯ happening here. ¡°Little Grape, it seems there¡¯s a Patient outside, checking every dorm on the third floor. When they check the room next to us, can you go around from the window and see what they look like?¡± ¡°No,¡± Little Grape flatly refused. ¡°You can¡¯t even take a quick look?¡± ¡°I am currently in a state known as ¡®juvenile¡¯¡­ In this completely unknown environment where Grayification is happening, once I leave your body to act independently, the risk would increase significantly.¡± Yi Chen caught a key point in those words, responding with a smile: ¡°So, you mean it¡¯s alright as long as you don¡¯t leave my physical body, right?¡± Before long, Yi Chen almost pressed his body against the window, stretching his entire left arm as far out as possible, sticking closely to the wall outside to touch the room next door. Of course, the length of an arm naturally could not reach the window of the next room. Creak creak~ After half a year of special training, Yi Chen was more adept at manipulating plants; a thick branch grew between his palms, almost as thick as his arm. Little Grape¡¯s main body was following the branch towards the window of the next room. ¡°That¡¯s far enough! Don¡¯t stand out too much!¡± The branch stopped growing immediately upon touching the window frame, with Little Grape¡¯s small black hands gently holding the rust-stained frame, slowly peeking out with half an eyeball, observing the erosion in the next room. This dorm had suffered significant damage, the lower half of the door had vanished without a trace, with only the upper half still attached to the hinge, barely sealing the room. Tap! Accompanied by a sharp noise, the mysterious Patient patrolling stopped in front of the door as expected. Since the lower half of the door was missing, one could see a pair of black high heels about 20 cm tall, two fair long legs, and the hem of a white coat, from which one might imagine a beautiful, elegant, tall woman who was in charge of night rounds in the hospital. However, when the upper half of the door was pushed open by the ¡®female doctor¡¯, the pleasant fantasy in the brain was instantaneously shattered. 1. A lower body that had been cut in half at the waist, perfectly preserved, 2. A metal stand for hanging IV bags was inserted vertically at the waist break, 3. An IV bag hung from the stand, connected to the lower body by a tube, maintaining the freshness of the two long legs and providing energy at a normal infusion rate. 4. At the top of the stand, a head with black hair covering its face was attached, its specific features unclear. 5. At last, he was draped in a white lab coat emblazoned with the English words ¡°Twilight Hospital.¡± If one only looked at the lower half or the silhouette from behind, it really gave the impression of a female doctor. Such a visual image, transmitted through the grape-sized creature, made Yi Chen feel slightly uncomfortable. The pathological individuals he had seen before mostly retained human form, at most resembling merfolk covered in fish scales. But what he was looking at now had, to a certain extent, transcended the category of human. Having seen clearly, the plant growth with the structure of tree branches quickly retracted into a palm, and the grape-sized creature returned inside. When Yi Chen relayed his detailed description of the ¡®female doctor¡¯ to Edmund, another term of professional jargon was thrown out of his mouth. ¡°Non-Normality Patients, such individuals have appeared? Based on this, we can deduce that the Grayification transformation happening here is reaching its later stages.¡± This term was also mentioned in classes related to Grayification. Edmund muttered to himself, ¡°The past ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ must have affected the Clinic; a large-scale battle occurred inside, with heavy casualties¡­ Some of the leftover blood, bodily fluids, and even complete limbs, combined with the equipment of the Clinic, are very likely to undergo some form of pathological combination under the effects of Grayification. Thus giving birth to these Non-Normality Patients, the ¡®ego consciousness¡¯ of these beings is extremely strange, and their various actions and attack patterns are difficult to judge or reason out through conventional experience. I have never encountered such things, nor do I have related battle experience.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At this time, the inspection of the neighboring room had already ended. The ¡®female doctor¡¯ in her high heels took just two large strides to stop at the doorway of the room where the two men were, Scrape! Scrape! Something metallic scraped against the door; because it was locked, it could not be opened right away. Suddenly, boom! The solid wood door was kicked open, breaking a large hole as splintered wood and the lock mechanism flew off together. The wooden door swung open. Long legs in high heels now formally entered the suspect bedroom. The head mounted on a metal frame gently sniffed the living aura within the room, starting her exaggerated inspection. Regrettably, the inspection yielded disappointment; not a single person was found. Below the female doctor¡¯s black hair was a face conveying considerable disappointment, and after a soft sigh, there was no choice but to turn around and leave the bedroom. [Ten seconds earlier] Yi Chen and Edmund had already climbed out the window a step ahead, arriving at the spacious and open rooftop area. Perhaps due to the protective effects of their gentleman¡¯s clothes, the two did not feel any discomfort from being exposed under the moonlight¡­ as long as they avoided staring directly at the strange moon in the sky. Before understanding the current predicament of the Clinic, it was best to avoid battle. If a conflict with the ¡®female doctor¡¯ erupted in the bedroom, the noise from the fight might likely draw more, more troublesome entities. ¡°Shall we climb down the wall, drop into the Clinic¡¯s front yard¡­ Starting from the lobby, perform a thorough search of the Clinic during the early morning hours, looking for traces of Dagbert and the others?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the only way.¡± If it were not for the consideration of missing teammates, they could have temporarily left the Clinic, retreated to the forest¡­ and after the night passed and the moon disappeared, continued with their secret medicine mission. Just as the two were preparing to leave the rooftop, Thud! Thud! A series of heavy footsteps suddenly sounded from the entrance to the rooftop. A shadow larger than a human figure stood there, its ¡®head¡¯ piercing a liquid tank, with eyes suspended in the tank fixated on the two men preparing to ¡®go downstairs.¡¯ In a somewhat awkward atmosphere, a black ball of flesh suddenly squeezed out from Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, calling out excitedly: ¡°Grape!¡± Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Collaborative Enemy Killing Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Collaborative Enemy Killing The shadowy figure with a liquid tank embedded in his head was unlike the voluptuous ¡°female doctor¡± who had previously patrolled the dormitory. Temporarily referred to as ¡°male doctor,¡± he looked like someone who lived in the gym and drank protein powder like water¡ªa terrifying presence. 1. ¡°Arm¡±: Cables from various medical devices wove in and out of his arm. It was less like one arm and more like a complex arm formed by the interconnection of multiple arms. Even some baby-sized little hands could be seen clinging to it. The length of the arm far exceeded that of a normal human, dragging on the ground beyond the wrist. 2. ¡°Torso¡±: His physique could rival that of a bodybuilding champion, though a black-and-white screen heart monitor was embedded in his left chest. He also wore a white lab coat without sleeves¡­ or rather, the sleeves had long been torn apart by his robust arms. 3. ¡°Leg¡±: The thighs were normal, but the knee joint connected to three smaller legs, the primary of which even had wolf fur, supporting the robust body in a stable tripod form. 4. ¡°Head¡±: There was no obvious head structure, but a liquid tank was inserted in his decaying neck. The tank, filled with nutrient solution, contained a severely inflamed yellow eyeball. The function of this eyeball was still normal, even clearer than a normal human eye by several times, and was fixedly staring at the two people at the edge of the rooftop. It was another ¡°Non-Normality Patient.¡± Edmund had already switched to a stance of holding a gun in his left hand and a sword in his right, his expression grim. ¡°It looks like we have no choice but to fight¡ªif we try to run back to the first floor now, this guy might trigger the clinic¡¯s alarm, causing all the patients in the building to hunt us down. Since Dagbert is not here, I¡¯ll draw their attention and engage in close combat. William, you assist from the side using your ¡®plant class¡¯ Pathological Traits and your excellent Vision trait¡­¡± Before he could finish, a dark shadow quickly dashed past Edmund¡¯s side. Upon closer inspection, it was Yi Chen, with a crow oil lamp at his waist and a silver axe in hand. His black-and-white diagonal-striped tie fluttered at his side in the high-speed dive. His face was also temporarily covered with a plant-based mask made of sprout material, not to isolate from pathology, but to ¡®purify the air¡¯. He ensured that no matter what bodily fluids splashed on his face during the fight, he could still breathe the freshest air filled with a new plant scent, refreshing his brain and maintaining his focus. ¡°So fast! Shouldn¡¯t William be more of an intelligence type? Could it be an enhancement from his plant physique¡­ No! His sprinting posture is quite standard and the muscle rhythm is perfect. This guy has undergone special physical training.¡± Edmund was startled by the burst of speed that Yi Chen suddenly exhibited. You see, this was the result of Yi Chen¡¯s training on the ¡®spiked treadmill¡¯ over the last six months¡­ feeling a ghostly piercing pain from the soles every step he took. However, to Yi Chen, pain was no longer a burden, but a stimulant. ¡­ Meanwhile, the ¡®male doctor¡¯ also burst into a sprint in the same forward-leaning mode. The speed provided by his wolf-fur small legs was not inferior to Yi Chen¡¯s, while the other two small legs provided auxiliary support, making his lower body extremely stable. His arms, being too long, dragged on the ground, gradually losing flesh and blood during the run, and revealing a concealed defibrillator within the palms. Moonlight illuminated his flesh as if a stimulant had seeped into his body, causing his whole body to slightly wriggle. In terms of physicality and aura, the ¡®male doctor¡¯ had the upper hand¡­ However, Yi Chen did not show any hint of panic or fear. ¡®Locking Vision¡¯ In the vision constructed jointly with small grape, a circled dashed line with an ¡®auto-aim¡¯ feature had already encircled the yellow eyeball in the liquid tank. It¡¯s worth mentioning that, a new element had emerged in the vision, perhaps related to Yi Chen¡¯s profession, or more precisely, related to the understanding of ¡°Ancient Living Text.¡± While gazing at the target, lines of writhing, maggot-like text emerged within the retina. The text perfectly outlined above the ¡°male doctor¡¯s¡± head, sketching out his name information: [Heart Savior ¨C Francisco Holt (Patient)] It took less than one second. The dotted circle turned solid, signifying that the ¡°locking¡± was accomplished. Whir! Similar to the ability of the Lake Bottom Giant Eye, an invisible spiritual shock hit directly, impacting the patient¡¯s thought level. In an instant. The male doctor spaced out, and due to the inertia from a rapid sprint, he heavily fell to the ground. Clang! The fluid tank on his neck shattered instantly, Yellow grapes along with glass shards sprung out, The little grape knee-jumped, catching the yellow grapes in the air with its black hands, then executed a mid-air somersault, landing securely back on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. Reverting to the original rooting mode, it stuffed the grape into its mouth. The fresh and warm juice filled the mouth, but quickly turned bitter. ¡°Pah! The quality of the grape itself isn¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s severely inflamed, too bitter!¡± As the little grape critiqued the yellow grape, Yi Chen stepped forward swiftly and struck the fallen ¡®male doctor¡¯ with his axe. Crack! The middle of the back, flesh and spine, were sliced open together, red marrow fluid gushing out¡­ Such an injury would totally paralyze a human. Creak creak~ Using the split in the back, multiple plant roots followed the axe, growing into the ¡®male doctor¡¯s¡¯ body, seeking the rooted location of the ¡°Pathogen¡±. About five seconds passed, The fully invading roots discovered an abnormality at the heart, A tumor-like pathogen, encapsulated within the ¡°Heart Monitor¡±¡­ the surface even emitted sparks powering the entire body. ¡°Found it!¡± Yi Chen prepared to further control the roots, aggressively invading the monitor¡­ the sharp tip of the roots penetrated the pathogen, intending to extract it dry. Just then. The ¡®male doctor¡¯s¡¯ body twitched, as the wound in his back rapidly healed. He had recovered from the spiritual shock, fully alert¡­ The fractured spine did not affect his movement, and the electric currents flowing through the cables in his arms functioned as nerves. The gigantic arm swung at an unbelievable angle! A palm struck Yi Chen¡¯s chest, It was not just the shock of force but also coordinated with an in-built defibrillator¡­ Crack! There was a clear sound of breaking ribs. The lean body of Yi Chen was blown away by a palm, flying towards the edge of the rooftop, he might even have fallen off completely. White smoke was coming from his chest, as if it had been scorched by an electric shock. ¡°William!¡± Edmund instinctively wanted to run to the edge of the rooftop, to catch his teammate. However, Yi Chen, who should have been severely injured and unconscious, was leisurely ¡®lying in the air,¡¯ smiling and enjoying being blown away. He also turned his body sideways, deliberately pointing at a spot on his left chest, transmitting crucial information to Edmund. The next second¡­ Bang~ The gunshot was suppressed to the lowest decibel by a silencer, only spreading across the rooftop. The ¡®male doctor¡¯, who had just gotten up, intending to pursue Yi Chen, fell to the ground once again. The monitor in his chest was penetrated by a bullet¡­ The internal pathogen tumor hit by the silver bullet, completely corroded. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 55: The First Taste Chapter 56: Chapter 55: The First Taste Silencers on the muzzle emitted wisps of white smoke, Having completed the shot, Edmund didn¡¯t hesitate at all and immediately ran to the edge of the rooftop. At this moment, the figure of Yi Chen, who had been sent flying, had vanished¡ªmost likely fallen from the rooftop. The ¡®Defibrillation Palm Strike¡¯ from the male doctor was extremely powerful; if followed by the trauma of a fall, in Edmund¡¯s view, even if one didn¡¯t die, they would be seriously injured. When he arrived, Snap! A palm covered in vine-like marks had just grabbed hold of the edge. It easily hoisted the body up, returning to the rooftop. Yi Chen even brushed off his clothes nonchalantly, his gaze shifting towards the patient who had already fallen to the ground not far away. In his field of vision, the ancient text naming the creature on the patient¡¯s head¡ª[Heart Saver ¨C Francisco Holt (Patient)]¡ªturned from flesh-colored to gray, indicating the target was dead. ¡°This guy actually hid a defibrillator in his palm¡­ Ah~ My clothes!¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t care about his body at all but was visibly distressed as he inspected the area around his coat¡¯s chest. Then, something miraculous happened, the coat began displaying a ¡®shedding phenomenon¡¯; the part on the left chest that was scorched by the electric shock began to peel off by itself, followed by the growth and interweaving of fibrous threads throughout the fabric. In just over ten seconds, the area damaged by the electrical burn was as good as new. Edmund explained from the side, ¡°Such damage is far below the endurance limit of ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯¡­ Even if the coat were burned through with a large hole, it could still repair itself. Not to mention, the leather you used for making the coat came from the [First Gentleman]. By the way, are you alright? You took quite a hit there.¡± ¡°The coat can heal itself, too? As for me, I¡¯m fine. The hit was powerful, but the intent was quite obvious. And I deliberately chose to take the hit¡­ aligning with the perfect moment when the palm pushed forward, moving backward, the majority of the force was dissipated in the process. The only unexpected part was the defibrillation from his palm; fortunately, most of the electric shock damage was absorbed by the clothing. As long as I was sent flying, he would definitely continue to pursue me. The moment he got up, you would be able to aim for the heart and deliver a deadly blow. All things considered, it turned out pretty well.¡± Yi Chen recalled training sessions in ¡®Teacher Zede¡¯s Paradise¡¯, including one where he was repetitively struck by a swinging iron ball weighing several tons, coming at him with entirely random speeds and directions, more than a hundred times a day. This special training in impact endurance had allowed Yi Chen to quickly learn and master a basic skill¡ª[Receiving Body] The palm strike had always been visible to the naked eye, completely avoidable. But on a whim, he had decided to test out the results of his training¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go and check out the condition of the body.¡± Yi Chen straightened his coat¡¯s collar, walked toward the ¡®male doctor¡¯s¡¯ body with a kerosene lamp in the front, and Hand Axe in hand, the little grape resting on his shoulder was also keen on searching the body, hoping to find additional grapes¡­ The severely inflamed bitter grape from earlier left it feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Edmund stood still for a while, silently watching Yi Chen¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Father was right; though I achieved the best scores in a decade on the family¡¯s internal test, there are certainly others my age who are more formidable and talented across the Fourth Continent. Being able to join the organization together with William and participate in missions could be considered a form of [Luck].¡± Edmund¡¯s eyes became clear and resolute as he quickly followed. However, just as he drew closer, the sunny expression on his face suddenly froze. He seemed somewhat unable to understand what Yi Chen was doing. ¡­ Crack! Next to the corpse, William, who appeared to be conducting an examination, suddenly picked up the axe and cleaved along the midline of the torso¡­ Crack! Then he inserted his hands into the chest cavity, carefully prying it apart. Inside the left side of the chest cavity was the ¡®Pathogenic pus¡¯, which had turned to pus water after being hit by a silver bullet¡ªa further confirmation of the target¡¯s death. On the right side lay another vital organ¡ª¡¯the brain¡¯ This was precisely what Yi Chen was searching for¡­ After all, this male doctor didn¡¯t have a head structure, and hence it was highly probable that his brain was tucked away in some corner of his body. Crunch, crunch~ Plant root gloves, skimmed over the ooze in the body cavity, cupping the entire brain in the palm and moving it outside¡­ Since death had not exceeded five minutes, the vitality of the brain tissue could still be distinctly felt. For some reason. When this abnormal brain tissue appeared before him, Yi Chen felt as if he could smell the scent of roasted brain. If it hadn¡¯t been for the mask, saliva would have likely dripped from the corner of his mouth. Edmund tentatively asked from behind, ¡°William, are you¡­¡± ¡°My Professional Characteristics can make use of this.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Edmund seemed to realize what that meant and turned to look away. As Yi Chen gazed at the brain, some ancient script once again appeared in his field of vision. ¡ÚFrancisco Holt, the brain of a Non-Normality Patient, [Ordinary] quality. Consuming Marrow Fluid can replenish brain power, stimulate one¡¯s spirit, substitute for sleep, and obtain a small number of fragmented memories There is an extremely small chance to increase Intelligence Attribute¡Û ¡ºHe can¡¯t possibly want me to taste raw brain sushi, can he? Impossible, impossible~ The brain marrow, if absorbed through the plant, should also be possible.¡» Yi Chen eventually restrained himself from the perverse idea against human nature, Crunch~ the roots penetrated the brain, the brain tissue he cupped in his hand slowly shriveled up as it was absorbed by the root ends. Buzz! Yi Chen, who was squatting on the ground, suddenly straightened up, the book emblem imprinted at the back of his head wriggled again, and he fell into a rare state of mental activity, feeling an unprecedented level of satisfaction in his brain. A pathological smile appeared on the corners of his mouth, all sense of drowsiness upon waking up was entirely stripped away, at the same time, some shattered and incomplete images flickered through his mind, seemingly fighting scenes from the clinic during the False Moon event¡­ but they were too fragmented to see clearly. Three minutes passed, the state of excitement gradually calmed down, naturally, the slim chance of [Intelligence] increase did not occur. However, this type of mental replenishment surpassing stimulants and with no side effects left Yi Chen quite satisfied. ¡°To think it can substitute for sleep time¡­ Truly a great thing! If I can extract more brain marrow fluid, perhaps I¡¯ll be able to piece together the specifics of the clinic on that day. This feeling is too satisfying~¡± Only when Yi Chen was completely upright, did Edmund turn back, sneaking a peek at the shriveled brain in his hand. ¡°William¡­ this is your Professional Trait?¡± ¡°Yes, pathological brains are also a kind of tonic for me.¡± Edmund looked embarrassed, ¡°It seems I need to reassess your function. I had always considered you to be ¡®reconnaissance support.¡¯ Now, it looks like you¡¯re more of an all-rounder.¡± ¡°Not quite an all-rounder, I¡¯m just developing [Intelligence] and [Physique] simultaneously¡­ Let me handle the close combat role until we regroup with Dagbert and the rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yi Chen continued, ¡°Moreover, I have a plan¡­ During the upcoming nighttime exploration, we need not intentionally avoid battle. If we encounter any isolated Patients, we should try to kill them. Their brains are useful to me.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± With that said, Edmund also squatted next to the body of the doctor, neatly slicing off the relatively intact skin near the pathogen, stacking it, and putting it into his backpack. ¡°The Patients¡¯ [Skin] brought back to Zion can earn additional rewards from the organization and improve personal and squad ratings. If the pathogen tissues are well preserved, they too can be collected¡­ either to be processed for Crystals or directly exchanged for a reward.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After a brief tidying up, the two climbed down from the rooftop to the first floor, preparing to investigate the clinic at night. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Incident Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Incident The clinic¡¯s front yard and the external mountain forests showed only slight signs of grayification with no signs of any living creatures. Both of them temporarily hid under a broken tree in the front yard, observing the main building of the clinic cloaked in moonlight and emitting a constant flow of gray streams on its surface. It was as if the moon were a spotlight with the clinic as its primary target for illumination. After a period of observation, Yi Chen spoke quietly about his confusion. ¡°The longer we observe, the more alien this clinic bathed in moonlight seems, becoming unrecognizable from the one we explored during the day¡­ It seems to grow larger, more profound, and there¡¯s an indescribable sense of incongruity.¡± Edmund immediately added a line, ¡°Activity, is that it?¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the feeling¡­ It¡¯s as if the entire building is gradually awakening, like it¡¯s a living creature. If we were to walk in through the front door, it would be like entering the insides of a monster.¡± Edmund briefly explained: ¡°That¡¯s the effect of grayification. Legend has it that in the fully formed Gray Domains, landscapes and structures or even human-built edifices undergo drastic transformations, sometimes manifesting areas that defy all logic. These areas act like living organisms, they undulate, crawl, and might even devour all intruders. The grayification inside the clinic is already severe, and I estimate that in less than a week, this place will officially become a Thin Gray Domain.¡± Hearing this explanation, Yi Chen became even more puzzled. ¡°I have a question¡­ There were no signs of grayification when we came during the day. Why has it reached such a degree come nighttime? Was there no transition period?¡± However, This question also plagued Edmund, who had been thinking throughout their time observing under the tree. He bit his nails, making a bold guess: ¡°Logically, grayification shouldn¡¯t be intermittent. This level of grayification definitely didn¡¯t just happen; it¡¯s been at least seven days. I suspect it has something to do with the ¡®moon¡¯¡­ Maybe the appearance of the moon has brought us into a ¡®Same Space¡¯.¡± This conjecture reminded Yi Chen of a game setting from his previous world, ¡°An inner and outer world? Is there a possibility that only the two of us are affected by the moonlight, thus being pulled ¡®inside¡¯? Perhaps Dagbert and Miss Anna remain unaffected, still on the ¡®surface¡¯? That could explain the sudden disappearances.¡± As he entertained this increasingly likely speculation, Edmund¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, we may likely die here. An entity that can create ¡®Same Spaces¡¯, bearing traits of the moon, is at the least a Severe Patient, possibly even close to an Open Source¡­ and belongs to a major figure from an unresolved ¡®False Moon event¡¯.¡± Just then, Little Grapes suddenly popped out, waving its hands excitedly! ¡°How interesting~ With this, perhaps we could find ¡®Moon Grapes¡¯ to eat! You guys better strive hard, earnestly search for the creator of this ¡®moon¡¯. I highly approve of your speculation.¡± Little Grapes¡¯s somewhat humorous language somewhat eased the tense atmosphere, Following this line of speculation, Yi Chen continued to raise his own doubts. ¡°If there really is such a powerful being, when we were inside the clinic and just now on the rooftop killing the patient, he could have easily come out and killed us. Actually, nothing appeared, The matter concerning the ¡®Same Space¡¯ is still just our speculation, Of course! If there really are two overlapping spaces, perhaps the ¡®forgotten secret medicine¡¯ is on this side as well. Let¡¯s go check inside the clinic.¡± ¡°Hmm~ But, we must be cautious! Once we gather enough clues to prove there¡¯s a terrifying existence far stronger than us behind the clinic, we¡¯ll immediately terminate the mission and rush to the carriage meeting point.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The two set out, quietly approaching the main building¡¯s front door, using the isolation and concealment provided by their apparel. Yi Chen led the way, with Edmund following behind, It is worth noting, Although moonlight could cast into the interior of the clinic, providing enough brightness. the two still lit their kerosene lamps, The firelight not only dispelled the darkness but also warded off the somewhat peculiar ¡®Moonlight¡¯. As they stepped into the lobby, both were stunned, seeming unable to accept the scene before them. [Grayification] The transformation occurring inside the clinic far exceeded their imaginations. 1. Small holes and abscess tissues appeared on the surface of the walls, with liquid constantly flowing out from them. 2. Opposite, what should have been a broken elevator was fully repaired, only it had been painted blood-red, and, combined with the interior lighting, it resembled a gaping, blood-red mouth, waiting for prey to enter. 3. Behind the counter sat a [nurse], dressed in a clean nurse¡¯s uniform and white cap, except her face was wrapped in bandages. Ticking~ Blood continued to ooze from between the bandages, forming a ¡®mouth of blood¡¯. This nurse had no fingernails, instead, fine needles protruded from the tips of her fingers. Creaking~ in a very rhythmic manner, scraping the tabletop, and making an unbearably screeching noise. Upon seeing this, Yi Chen and Edmund simultaneously drew their weapons and approached the counter. Just then the nurse suddenly spoke, and more blood seeped out from the bandages around her mouth: ¡°Welcome to the [Moonlight Clinic], I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for a long time. You were able to calmly and decisively avoid Dr. Marin¡¯s rounds and later kill Dr. Francisco on the rooftop¡­ Your agility and bravery have been recognized by Mr. Lee. As the person in charge of the Moonlight Clinic, he would like to meet you, has some matters to discuss in person, and might even offer you some special rewards. If you refuse to meet, you will be forever trapped in the [Moonlight Space] created by Mr. Lee, who is the closest entity to the ¡®Moon Scar¡¯. Also, our clinic will deploy all its staff to relentlessly hunt you down¡­ until we deprive you of your mobility and then perform a full-body transformation surgery on you.¡± While Edmund was still hesitating, Yi Chen gently placed his hand on his shoulder, whispering: ¡°Our suspicion was correct, an existence suspected to be a [Severe Patient] has created this Same Space. For some unknown reason, we were drawn here. The nurse¡¯s words just now are enough to show they have known about our movements from the start, They chose to test our strength instead of killing us outright¡­ this clearly indicates they have a certain ¡®need¡¯ for us. Choosing to ¡®meet¡¯ is our only chance of survival, I have experience in interacting and cooperating with Patients; let me handle this ¡®meeting¡¯.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± With no better option, Edmund could only harden his resolve and agree. Yi Chen stepped forward, casually resting his arm on the counter, casting a look at the nurse. ¡°Please lead the way.¡± ¡°Alright, please follow me.¡± The nurse limped into the elevator bathed in deep red light. The elevator¡¯s right side panel was covered with buttons in the form of flesh bumps, all marked with negative numbers. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 57: The Pathological Gentleman Chapter 58: Chapter 57: The Pathological Gentleman The bandages wrapped around the nurse¡¯s face achieved the variations in expressions through the amount and location of blood seeping through. The bloodstains that currently marred the surface of the bandages formed a somewhat distorted blood-red smile, seemingly overjoyed from completing the task given by the ¡°master.¡± With a needle that grew out of her fingertip, the nurse poked the flesh blister button engraved with the number [-13]. Pop! The flesh blister burst. Clang¨C¨C Clang¨C¨C Accompanied by a rhythmic trembling, the elevator began its descent underground. With each level it descended, the chances of escape diminished, Ding-dong! Arriving at sublevel thirteen. The moment the elevator doors opened, a flood of white rats surged in, filling the space between the walls of the elevator with their bright fur, their soft bodies melding with the visitors¡¯ leather shoes and trouser legs, causing extreme discomfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these are all Mr. Li¡¯s ¡®pets.¡¯ They absolutely won¡¯t attack any guests. Come with me, Mr. Li lives in the deepest [Ward].¡± The nurse, limping, led the way, and the thronging rats on the ground actively made way for any approaching objects. The two promptly followed. Edmund, who came from a major family and had been professionally trained from childhood, naturally resisted the vermin-infested area, feeling totally uneasy from head to toe. In contrast, Yi Chen appeared much more relaxed, undisturbed by the situation, having often spent time with rats during his days in the orphanage, even befriending a few and giving them names. After all, in such an environment, rats were more trustworthy than humans. Yi Chen glanced at the swarm below, yet felt a sense of dissonance. ¡°These rats appear uniform, but in reality, they possess a collective nature¡­ controlled uniformly by some existence or, in other words, they are an entity unto themselves. These creatures shouldn¡¯t be called rats, but a dangerous group connected to the [Pathological].¡± Sublevel thirteen, this wasn¡¯t a straight passage, but rather a complex labyrinth of winding paths with numerous forks, akin to a giant rat¡¯s nest. Mr. Li, who created the Same Space and managed the ¡®world inside¡¯ the Clinic, seemed more like hidden within the deepest part of this underground palace. When they knocked on the iron door covered in rust and built with rat skin, a hoarse voice issued from within. ¡°Have you brought them? Let them in.¡± Pushed by the swarm of rats, the ward¡¯s iron door slowly opened. The so-called Mr. Li was not as frightful or indescribable as anticipated, and compared to the Non-Normality Patients of the Clinic, he resembled a human more. Under a mess of silver hair, there was a face about thirty years old, gaunt and hollow-cheeked. His limbs were intact, and he lay on a hospital bed looking rather frail, his forehead, neck, and wrists, as well as his ankles, all connected to infusion bottles, cared for by three bandaged nurses and a voluptuous female doctor. The bed was custom-made for him; it had a large hole in the center, from which numerous silver-white blood vessels grew out of his back, dense and interwoven, penetrating through the hole to merge with the ground of the ward as if they bound him to this room, to this underground space, or perhaps to the entire Clinic. It seemed he had lain on the bed for so long, that the flesh on his back was nearly one with it, with no gaps visible, rendering him unable to turn over. Moreover, Yi Chen¡¯s sharp gaze noticed another detail¡ªa prominent ¡°Moon Seal¡± on Mr. Li¡¯s neck, which was the characteristic proof of Moon Transformation infection recorded in the False Moon incident. It could be roughly inferred. This Mr. Li was indeed one of the survivors of the ¡°False Moon Incident,¡± hiding and quietly growing in the deep underground, using the special ¡°Moon Transformation Disease¡± to create a Same Space similar to the Clinic. There was another point, and it was the one that surprised Yi Chen and Edmund the most. Mr. Li was actually wearing a tattered set of gentleman¡¯s clothes, still exuding the aura of ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin.¡± Before the two could speak, Mr. Li turned his head, his silver pupils gazing directly at them. ¡°The Organization actually sent rookies like you to handle matters here? Short-handed, are they¡­ It seems that the folks at Zion are indeed almost done for. If I¡¯m not wrong, you are here to retrieve this thing, right?¡± Mr. Li moved his fingers, and the rats scurrying on the ground brought the mottled and old empty bottle to their feet. The label on the bottle read ¡°Twilight Clinic Exclusive Development ¨C Dusk Thin Silver Liquid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, but I¡¯ve already used it up! Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live until now, nor establish direct contact with the moon. Although you two are just novices, your strength is pretty good! To adapt to the ¡®Moonlight Clinic¡¯ I created in no time, to swiftly kill a Non-Normality patient and quickly flee the main building. Under these circumstances, you might barely be capable of handling a task for me. If you can do it, I will give you three rewards: 1. No longer confined within the Moonlight Clinic that I created, you will gain Freedom. 2. The empty bottle of secret medicine that I used, which you can take back to complete your task. 3. Antidote.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°Antidote,¡± Yi Chen and Edmund already had a reaction, however, the nurse standing close behind them had already plunged the needle of her finger into their necks, injecting a special medicine into their bodies. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is a specially formulated ¡®Rat Plague Transformation Agent,¡¯ which has a very long incubation period. The tested period is one week, and as long as you inject the serum before this time expires, it can be completely suppressed. Don¡¯t be too nervous¡ªrelax! After all, we are all gentlemen. Although I have been corrupted by Pathological transformation, my ¡®integrity¡¯ as a gentleman has not been lost. As long as you accomplish the task successfully, all three conditions will be fulfilled.¡± In such a passive situation, naturally, they could not refuse. While Edmund was covering the injection site on his neck with his hand, trying his best to contain the invasion of Pathological corruption in his body, Yi Chen stepped forward, approaching Mr. Li¡¯s bedside, and made a quite standard gentleman¡¯s bow. ¡°William Behrens, it¡¯s a pleasure to work with Mr. Li. May I ask what task you need us to do?¡± Seeing how quickly the young man in front of him had adapted, Mr. Li looked slightly surprised, a look of appreciation also appearing on his face. ¡°I need you to go to the real Viner City. There, kill the ¡®Moon Transformation Disease sufferers¡¯ hidden among the urban ruins, aiming for the skin with ¡®Moon Seal¡¯ on their bodies, requiring whole pieces to be peeled off while ensuring at least a size of 15¡Á15cm. Collect them and bring them back to me. Remember, my trade partners are you two only. It should also be you two who return, don¡¯t think about bringing your teammates in.¡± ¡°What use are these things to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a question you should be asking, just get it done. Remember, the effective period of the medicine is one week, so don¡¯t delay too long, or it might explode before then.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Go now¡ªreturn to the Clinic building, back to the bedroom you started in, get a good night¡¯s sleep, and when you wake up again, you will be able to return to the Surface. Oh, and one more thing, if you complete the task efficiently and bring back a good quantity and quality of Moon Skin, I might also reveal some secrets about the Clinic to you.¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Deliberation Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Deliberation After the conversation with Mr. Li had concluded, he took the elevator back to the Clinic, then walked up the stairs back to the third floor bedroom, Yi Chen maintained his composure throughout the whole process, even lightly patting Edmund on the shoulder, trying to share that sense of ¡°peace¡±. ¡°Sleep well, sufficient rest will allow us to seize additional opportunities.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Edmund, in the lower bunk, let out a long sigh and forcefully tapped his own head. His mental fortitude had also endured special training within his family, by closing his eyes and meditating, he slowly pushed the fact that his body had been injected with the pathogen to the back of his mind, keeping his inner unrest and anger under control. The night¡¯s continued combat and the tense journey to the underground area gradually turned into waves of fatigue, and he closed his eyes and fell asleep. However, Yi Chen did not rush to sleep, instead, he leaned out of his bed and carefully observed Edmund, who had fallen into sleep. Suddenly, a strange event occurred, the ¡°moonlight¡± that originally was simply resting on the windowsill began to move like a living creature, actively covering Edmund¡­ In the blink of an eye, his body transformed into light particles, transmitting back to the ¡°Surface¡±. ¡°It seems that ¡®sleep¡¯ and ¡®moonlight¡¯ are both key factors for switching between the inner and outer worlds. Despite four of us sleeping in the bedroom, only I and Edmund¡­ If all four of us were injected with the pathogen, it could also control us more stably to work for him. Could it be he fears having too many of us might pose a threat to him with a possible desperate counterattack? Despite possessing control over the Clinic¡¯s Same Space and having reached the Level of a ¡°Severe Patient¡±, he lurks in the depths underground, acting cautiously, even timidly¡­ like a rat, isn¡¯t it? If that¡¯s the case, maybe this ¡°weakness¡± can be exploited later on.¡± During this analysis, a wriggling movement occurred on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, a black lump of flesh strenuously squeezed out between his collar, Little Grape¡¯s mouth formed an extremely uncomfortable wavy shape, with remnants of foul-smelling liquid at the corners. ¡°Phew phew phew! What kind of rat plague agent is this? This stench is even worse than a rotten, maggot-infested boot I accidentally picked up in Cemetery No. 6. Absolutely disgusting. Before the mission ends, you must give me five¡­ no, seven quality grapes to soothe my mouth.¡± Indeed, Little Grape was right at his shoulder, when the nurse injected the pathogenic fluid into Yi Chen, Little Grape bit directly into the carotid artery, swallowing all the medicine that was supposed to spread throughout his body. ¡°No problem, as long as Mr. Li is eliminated, I can prepare a grape feast for you.¡± ¡°Oh! You really intend to kill that Pathological Gentleman. The ¡®Professional Characteristics¡¯ he acquired through Gentleman¡¯s Skin will also transform along with the illness, and his essence has reached ¡®severe¡¯. Killing such a type is not an easy task. We must plan carefully, lest you end up killing yourself in the process.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Because of the taste that had seeped into his brain for the first time, Yi Chen wasn¡¯t tired at all, even feeling a bit nostalgic for that taste and the peculiar sense of excitement. Yi Chen got out of bed almost silently, stepping towards the window. Suit changed, leaning against the window, he voluntarily bathed in the moonlight, feeling the special rays, with a slight smile on his lips. ¡°How interesting, I didn¡¯t expect the ¡®Lost Secret Medicine¡¯ to draw out a Pathological Gentleman in hiding. From what Mr. Li said, there definitely seems to be a latent issue with the Twilight Clinic affiliated with the organization, possibly even directly related to the past ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯.¡± The whole affair was becoming more interesting. Perhaps the mission was not just about recovering the secret medicine, the organization seemed keen to lead us to investigate the situation here.¡± Yi Chen thus leaned against the window, recalling and thinking about the interesting events of today, and gradually fell asleep. The moonlight that had originally rested on him wrapped around his entire body like a thin film, Disappeared without a trace. [Day Two of the Mission] The morning sun¡¯s rays passed over the mountaintops and entered the dilapidated partitions of the clinic. In the apprentice¡¯s bedroom, four people sat around Edmund¡¯s bed, engaged in a highly divisive discussion. Juliana was the team member with the broadest knowledge and most comprehensive rational analysis. During previous tasks, Edmund had always consulted her opinion on critical issues. But now¡­ she offered a markedly different suggestion. ¡°Abort the mission, immediately head to the crossroads where the coachman is waiting, and, by exploiting the connections of your family, Edmund, try to contact [Doctor] to conduct a consultation on both of you. Eliminate the pathogen from your body and seek a chance for survival.¡± However, Edmund appeared relaxed, perhaps coming to a resolution after a night¡¯s rest. ¡°An intravenous injection, having had the whole night to spread throughout the body, it¡¯s highly unlikely that even the existing medical procedures could clean it thoroughly, let alone the high risk involved. For someone like William, who exhibits ¡®Pathological Traits¡¯, there might still be a chance. As for my normal human body, even if I could get off the sickbed, I suspect I¡¯d just end up being a useless, resource-draining burden confined within the family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still better than being dead! I don¡¯t believe that a self-deprecating gentleman or a severely pathological living corpse will keep his word¡­ Even if you hand over the items, he will definitely not let you leave!¡± The reason Juliana seemed so agitated, was because she and Edmund had trained together in the same facility since they were ten and had maintained a close relationship, even developing certain special feelings for each other. At that moment, Yi Chen suddenly interjected, saying meaningfully: ¡°Whether he lets us leave or not doesn¡¯t matter. We just need to get the [Antidote] to clear the not yet activated pathogens.¡± Juliana immediately understood the implication of Yi Chen¡¯s words. ¡°Even if the four of us, at full capacity, team up, it¡¯s not guaranteed that we can defeat a high-ranking ¡®Severe Patient¡¯ gentleman. Let alone, how can you ensure that he will hand over a genuine antidote to you, it might even be possible that the so-called ¡®antidote¡¯ is just a lie he concocted.¡± Yi Chen, however, denied her assumption, explaining patiently: ¡°Miss Anna, you were not present at the scene, otherwise you would have made a more accurate analysis. Last night, the deal Edmund and I had was a [trade]. Mr. Lee¡¯s ¡®situation¡¯ wasn¡¯t so great, even miserable one might say, he can¡¯t leave the clinic, and the pathogens he controls can¡¯t leave either. But he has an urgent need for ¡®Moon Skin¡¯, and that¡¯s why he tested and arranged a meeting with me and Edmund. He even seemed slightly guilty, deliberately concealing the use of Moon Skin. According to my estimation, he should be able to obtain the essence energy of ¡®Moon Transformation¡¯ from the Skin Limbo, allowing him to reach a higher stage, escape the side effects of the secret medicine, and regain the long-desired [Freedom]. As long as we can collect all the ¡®Moon Skin¡¯ remaining in Viner City, the leverage is in our hands. It would be quite easy to force him to deliver a qualified antidote. Whether he lets us go afterwards is another matter.¡± Just as Juliana was about to object, Edmund immediately spoke, ¡°I agree with William¡¯s viewpoint, this is the only and correct approach¡­ also, I¡¯d like to personally eliminate the self-deprecating gentleman. Let¡¯s go~ Head to the city to eradicate Moon Transformation individuals, gaining leverage. Moreover, hunting Moon Transformation individuals would also enhance our understanding of the ¡®Moon Transformation Disease¡¯.¡± At that moment, Dagbert, who had been silently leaning against the wall, quickly stood up, lifting his giant sword and heading towards the door. Juliana also bowed her head in acceptance of the plan, and as she stood up, she sharply poked Edmund¡¯s abdomen with a finger gun, making him jump up in pain and bump his head on the upper bunk. Clang! ¡°If you show signs of illness, I¡¯ll chop off your head first.¡± Edmund, clutching his now throbbing head, hurriedly nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen, we will all make it back alive.¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Sewer Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Sewer Four people walked into Viner City, and Edmund gave a brief analysis of the impending ¡®Hunting Plan¡¯: ¡°The ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ occurred just two months ago, and accidentally surviving ¡®Moon Transformation Patients¡¯ under no leadership had developed on their own within the ruins of the city. Only someone with a gentleman¡¯s foundation like Mr. Li, along with consuming an entire bottle of secret medicine, might possibly become a ¡®Severe Patient.¡¯ Other Moon Transformation Patients converted from ordinary citizens could at most reach the ¡®Patient¡¯ level. I believe that most survivors are still in the initial phase of infection, not yet fully conscious. Having already been swept through once by the organization, the ruins of the downtown area should not pose much more threat than Green Lake Town. Considering the ¡®time¡¯ factor, we can gradually increase our hunting speed. Before the time limit hits, we should collect as much Moon Skin as possible to increase our leverage.¡± While Edmund was providing this operational analysis, he also scratched the needle marks on his neck. The skin around the needle marks had begun to grow white hair similar to that of a rat. Yi Chen also pretended to scratch the needle mark area, acting as if he too was uncomfortable. He hadn¡¯t informed the team members that Mili had attached herself to the artery and sucked away the Pathogen Medicine as soon as it was injected. The reason was simple, to share the psychological pressure with Edmund. After entering the city, The four did not aimlessly search for Moon Transformation Patients but moved purposefully toward a specific area. The destination was precisely where they had felt ¡®Sensing¡¯ the previous day when crossing the city area by carriage¡­ The source of the prying was probably their hunting target. However, They did not explore any specific suspicious building, ruin, or sewer, but rather intentionally chose to move back and forth in conspicuous areas like open roads, the tops of broken buildings, and intersections while pretending to investigate seriously. This idle wandering lasted just about ten minutes. Then, an eye hidden between the teeth suddenly opened, allowing Mili to feel the Sensing once again. ¡°Hooked~ Southeast direction, Old-John Theater¡­ seems not just one, there are several grapes looking this way.¡± As the squad received this critical piece of information, they did not head directly over. Continuing to pretend to investigate, they smoothly turned into a side street that could just block the view of the theater. Click! Dagbert moved a manhole cover marked with the abbreviation for Viner City [W.N]. When the four successively descended into the sewer, the scene down there could aptly be described as ¡®Hell.¡¯ Masses of mutilated, maggot-infested physical remains, either floating in the foul-smelling channels, or piled up in the passageways, indicating that during the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ many citizens unaffected by the Moon Transformation Disease had initially sought refuge in the sewers¡­ yet their fate was still death. Not walking far, the group soon discovered fresh ¡®traces¡¯ in the sewers. According to the bloodstains and drag marks on the ground, as well as signs of rummaging through some corpse piles, it was almost certain something had long been active in the sewer, selecting some choice bodies for food or other purposes. Touching a spot of not yet dried bloodstain, Edmund¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°An unexpected gain¡­ Let¡¯s deal with the one in the sewer first, then head to the theater.¡± Following the trail left by the dragging, everyone felt a mix of nervousness and excitement about the ¡®unknown.¡¯ After all, this was their first time facing this rare type of ¡®Moon Transformation Disease,¡¯ fundamentally different from Green Lake Town¡¯s ¡®Fish Scale Disease.¡¯ This rare disease might bestow unexpected abilities on those infected. ¡°It¡¯s here¡­¡± Juliana in the squad appeared to have a special tracking ability, quickly locating a rust-streaked iron gate. Behind the gate was a space connected to a fork in the sewer, once a dwelling place for some city vagrants. Peering into the depths through the gate, one could faintly see a dim firelight, almost certain something was hiding inside. Pouring the lubricant they carried on the hinge to ensure the opening process made no noise, they turned off the kerosene lamp, edging along the side-walkway deep inside, the firelight projected from the depths grew brighter, and the raspy sounds of wood burning could even be heard, also casting a huge monster shadow onto the passageway wall, appearing like a four-legged beast voraciously devouring a corpse. ¡°Get ready!¡± When the fully armed group of four reached the deepest part, what entered their vision was not a monster. Instead, it was an old man with bare chest, wearing tattered pants, his skinny figure covered and silver hair falling to his waist. He was sitting cross-legged in front of a bonfire he had built himself, grilling collected limbs. A quite noticeable ¡°Moon Seal¡± was left on the back of his neck. Next to the old man sat obediently a white Chihuahua, enjoying the savory grilled meat handed to it by the old man. If one excluded the source of the meat, the scene was rather heartwarming. ¡°Oh¡­ do we have visitors? If you just happened to pass by and don¡¯t mind my surroundings and food, feel free to come over, sit down, eat, and chat. If you¡¯ve come here with a purpose, please hold on a moment. ¡®Mili¡¯ hasn¡¯t had such a good appetite in days, let her eat a bit more before setting off.¡± Yi Chen had not sensed any hostility for the time being, He signaled his teammates to stay still and took the initiative to move forward, sitting cross-legged by the bonfire. ¡°Let William handle the talks¡­ he seems to have such experience.¡± Having shared the experience of fighting enemies the night before, Captain Edmund permitted such behavior, Of course, his right hand had already reached his waist where his pistol lay, ready to shoot at the first sign of any hostility or suspicious movement from the old man. By the bonfire, Yi Chen noticed the old man¡¯s face, filled with the marks of years, had a pair of silver eyes matching his hair¡­ such a unique eye structure made the little grape continuously drool. When the old man handed over some food, Yi Chen accepted it graciously, However, he did not eat it himself but handed it to a ¡®pet,¡¯ like the old man¡­ Although little grape mainly fed on eyeballs, it readily accepted other types of meat and was not picky. Yi Chen stared into the old man¡¯s silver eyes and first threw out a question: ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave this place?¡± ¡°The sewers are my home, I have more food here and a more comfortable environment than before, why should I leave? And even if I left, where could I go? To become someone else¡¯s food?¡± Yi Chen continued to ask questions: ¡°We also found some other survivors ¡®similar¡¯ to you among the ruins of the city. Why do they still stay here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the group gathered at the [Old John Theater], right. More and more survivors are starting to regain full consciousness lately. Everyone¡¯s been invited to the theater for what they call ¡®leadership selection.¡¯ They tried to recruit me as well¡­ but, I¡¯m not interested. I guess once they choose their so-called ¡®leader,¡¯ they¡¯d organize everyone to leave together. After all, moving in groups is more effective when looking for a new place to live.¡± ¡°Leadership selection.¡± An important piece of information, If what the old man said was true, Yi Chen and his companions wouldn¡¯t need to run around anymore, as all the Moon Transformation beings had already gathered in the theater. ¡°Do you know approximately how many people are inside the theater?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that¡­ I am a vagabond and don¡¯t care much about such matters. By the way, you must be specially dispatched humans responsible for clearing the remnants after the ¡®False Moon event,¡¯ those of us who survived by chance, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yi Chen did not deny it. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be just the four of you, right? Are there more humans hidden above waiting to clean the city?¡± As the old man spoke, Yi Chen keenly glanced at his silver eyes and smiled in response: ¡°That¡¯s right. We are just the forward reconnaissance team. As soon as we confirm the survivors among the city ruins, we immediately notify the main troops to come and quickly carry out a clean-up. Also, I must criticize your poor acting skills. Initially, you deliberately revealed some information about the theater to lower my guard. Then, mid-conversation, you couldn¡¯t resist asking us if there were more comrades other than the four of us on the surface. You tried to dissociate yourself from the theater, yet you set up your ¡®den¡¯ near it, and on a sewer route that one must pass. Even intentionally letting out faint firelight and leaving behind blood stains to catch the attention of passersby. Too contrived, old man~ If I¡¯m guessing correctly, you¡¯re from the theater, specifically tasked with the sewers as a [Watchdog], aren¡¯t you?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a silver bullet had already struck, entering the back of the old man¡¯s head. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 60: Slaying and Cutting Chapter 61: Chapter 60: Slaying and Cutting Edmund had the ability to control bullets, though at his current rank of ¡°human,¡± he couldn¡¯t yet make bullets turn corners or compress their power and other advanced techniques. However, he could somewhat adjust the initial speed of the bullets as they left the gun barrel. Ensuring they would penetrate the brain but not pass through¡­ just letting the bullet stay within the brain tissue. Moreover, these special silver bullets would compress the air upon impact, causing a small explosion, and make the silver liquid instantly fill the cranial cavity, achieving ¡°Brain Purification.¡± However, the old man sitting in front of the campfire had no reaction whatsoever. Streams of silver liquid were even being expelled from his nostrils, causing no damage to the brain at all. The old man continued barbecuing and even took the time to feed his pet dog, Mili. Hidden in the shadows, Edmund¡¯s expression turned ugly, ¡°Immune to silver? Is this one of the Moon Transformation¡¯s traits!¡± However, the old man¡¯s attention remained on Yi Chen as he continued speaking: ¡°Was I too deliberate? I didn¡¯t expect you self-righteous folks to be so cautious, coming back to clean up Viner City just a week apart. Since that¡¯s the case, I might as well kill all four of you weaklings, to serve as provisions for my long journey out of the city.¡± Good boy, Mili! Come help me kill this bunch of vermin.¡± As soon as he stopped speaking, Yi Chen instantly unleashed a horizontal slash. Ding! Just as the sharp axe blade was about to strike, it was surprisingly caught single-handedly by the old man, who also ignored the silver plating on the surface of the blade. Yi Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°This guy is even more formidable than the ¡®Non-Normality¡¯ I killed on the rooftop¡­ Is it the physical enhancement provided by the Moon Transformation Disease?¡± The old man caught the axe with one hand and continued gently patting his pet dog with the other, Suddenly, the ¡°Moon Seal¡± lit up simultaneously on the dog¡¯s back and the old man¡¯s nape, radiating a silver-white brilliance. Their fur, blood and flesh, and organ tissues quickly merged, in less than two seconds, the Chihuahua Mili was completely integrated into the old man¡¯s right arm¡­ The muscle fibers and the number of nerves multiplied, beginning to undergo terrifying transformations that transcended human biological structure. The palm area completely tore open, forming a canine head structure. With a mouth in the palm, teeth between the fingers, eyes growing on the back of the hand, the right arm transformed into a ferocious dog, directly biting at Yi Chen across the campfire. At that moment, a cold iron glint reached the old man from behind even faster, with a great sword chopping down! Boom! The barbecue grill and the campfire were instantly destroyed, and the ground was smashed into a nearly ten-centimeter-deep slash mark. The one who swung this sword was Dagbert, Unfortunately, only some flesh and charred debris were left at the point of the sword¡¯s strike. Drip~ Foul-smelling blood dripped from above. The old man, with a layer of skin and flesh scraped off his back, was fixed in a grotesque crawling posture on the ceiling. ¡°You guys are really capable¡­ despite emitting such a weak aura.¡± Just as the old man was looking for gaps to exploit and preparing to take down Yi Chen, who he perceived as the weakest, a deadly chill suddenly struck. Silent yet filled with killing intent. ¡°What?¡± The old man instinctively dodged askew. A dagger deeply stabbed into his back¡­ If not for his quick reaction, his spine might have been severed, rendering him immobile. At the same moment, the old man¡¯s right arm, which possessed Self-Awareness, suddenly bit at the assassin behind him. Whish! Miss Anna¡¯s coat and inner shirt were torn open, revealing an almost perfect female waistcoat line, but she was unharmed due to her prior evasion. ¡°You guys¡­¡± By this time, the old man had fully realized that aside from Yi Chen, these seemingly young humans were not easy to deal with. He decisively abandoned the idea of fighting against multiple opponents, ignored the dagger in his back, and with white fur growing on his legs and muscles swelling for enhanced strength, he rapidly crawled along the ceiling of the corridor¡­ the speed was so fast it seemed to leave afterimages to the naked eye. Just as the old man thought he could easily shake off these young people, Drip~ Drip! Light footsteps followed quickly behind. The old man looked back and saw that the person chasing him, whom he thought was the weakest, was a young man sprinting with a speed that matched his own. Not only that, The woman who fought with daggers was also following closely behind, not much slower in speed. ¡°This guy can move so fast! But that¡¯s good, chasing at such speed will completely stretch their formation¡­ Once this guy is alone, I¡¯ll kill him directly.¡± As the old man was pondering his plan, Bang! Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the hallway! The sound was so loud, it almost shattered the eardrums. It was completely different from the bullet that had previously penetrated the old man¡¯s skull. And the target of the muzzle was no longer the head, but the ¡°right leg¡±. The large-caliber bullet in rotation pierced right through the foot, destroying the shinbone along with it, and exploded at the knee, leaving the entire right leg a bloody mess. Crawling was hindered, The old man nearly fell from the top because of this shot. The initially swift crawl also stopped because of this, At that moment, Yi Chen in full sprint perfectly connected with a knee jump, directly approaching the hanging, one-legged old man. Who knew, The hanging old man, ignoring the injury to his right leg, suddenly turned his head and glared with eyes filled with silver blood vessels. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even chop off my left hand, yet you still insist on catching up¡­ If you want to die so badly, become my food.¡± Shoo! The transformed right arm tore open to its fullest extent, revealing sharp teeth capable of biting through skin, targeting the young man who was about to arrive! At the same moment. Yi Chen, leaping through the air, switched to holding the ax with both hands. Creak creak~ Tendrils of plant roots grew from the palm, wrapping around the ax handle, and faint green energy could be seen flowing between the roots. [Visual Enhancement] The biting transformed arm appeared to move in slow motion in his vision, Searching for weaknesses. Yi Chen spotted the thinnest spot at the base of the canine mouth and determined the perfect path for his strike. Yi Chen¡¯s spine bent backward like a bow, stretched to the maximum¡­ then suddenly released! He brought the force of every muscle in his body into his arms, delivering the most powerful air slash! Shoo! He split the canine mouth! Continuing to cut along the arm bone, he bisected the transformed arm completely up to the shoulder. Yi Chen, having delivered the perfect strike, also landed right in front of the old man. Face to face. Before the other could scream in pain, Yi Chen, along with the black ball of flesh on his shoulder, glared intently, face to face. Whir! A tidal wave of spiritual power washed directly over the old man¡¯s consciousness. His eyes turned dull. The old man, dragging his blasted right leg and chopped-off right arm, fell from the top. Before hitting the ground, Miss Anna lightly stepped up, directly straddling the old man¡¯s back, Using the dagger embedded in his back, she sliced off the skin layer around the neck ¡°Moon Seal¡± that met the upper layer standards. However, As the skin containing the ¡°Moon Seal¡± was completely peeled off, The old man¡¯s body convulsed wildly, his silver hair fell out, and his silver eyes also dimmed. Completely dead! Upon landing, Yi Chen also squatted next to the corpse right away, using plant roots to check the body. ¡°Can stripping the skin with the Moon Seal cause death?¡± Of course, Yi Chen had another purpose for the check¡ª[Brain] Having had a ¡®first taste,¡¯ He no longer peeled off the brain but controlled the roots to penetrate the skull and directly extract the brain marrow fluid¡­ It felt somewhat like drinking coconut water. During the extraction, his eyes lit up. Although his intelligence attribute hadn¡¯t increased, He obtained a series of memories about the [Old John Theater] and information about the internal Moon Transformers. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Strategy Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Strategy Juliana carefully folded and stored the complete moon skin she had cut off, which would be a critical item in exchange for her teammates¡¯ survival. At the same time, she glanced at Yi Chen, who was squatting beside the corpse, apparently doing something. ¡°This guy¡¯s speed can actually be this fast¡­ Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be intelligence-oriented? From the chasing process just now, it¡¯s not just the speed; the action of jumping and delivering a killing blow is also quite smooth. His physique isn¡¯t bad at all. Is this the strength of a First Gentleman recipient?¡± Shortly thereafter, Edmund and Dagbert also arrived in quick succession. When Edmund took over the ¡°moon skin,¡± he unexpectedly discovered a moon-shaped crystal, like a piece of jade, still attached to the inner layer of the skin where the moon seal was imprinted. ¡°A crystalline pathogen core? That¡¯s really rare¡­ It corresponds exactly to the position of the moon seal, making it possible to directly remove it by skin stripping. However, that¡¯s only the case with the Patients. If it were a severe patient, they would certainly hide this weakness. It must be said that Moon Transformation Disease is a difficult illness to deal with, not only immune to silver but also significantly enhancing the individual¡¯s functions. As for the Pathological Traits, more moon transformation subjects need to be killed to draw conclusions.¡± After giving a brief analysis, Edmund folded the moon skin symmetrically and stored it in his backpack. He glanced at Yi Chen by the corpse and signaled his teammates not to disturb him. About five minutes passed, Yi Chen successfully completed the Central Tasting, suppressed the excitement in his brain, and shared the memory fragments he had captured with his teammates. ¡°There are at least six Patients inside the Old John Theater and about twenty junior moon transformation subjects who have not yet developed consciousness. It basically matches what this old guy said; the remaining moon transformation subjects in the district are all gathered in the theater, saving us the trouble of looking for them.¡± Edmund had already witnessed Yi Chen¡¯s traits yesterday, and now he was not surprised but also shared his concerns, ¡°It has advantages and disadvantages for these guys to gather together. Just the four of us breaking into the theater base, you can imagine the level of danger. Perhaps the moon transformation subjects could also communicate thoughts over short distances, and the killing of the old man in the sewers, as well as our individual combat styles, have all been leaked.¡± However, Yi Chen was not at all worried about this situation. ¡°If these guys can communicate thoughts through the ¡®moon seal,¡¯ and the old guy really has communicated what happened in the sewers to the guys in the theater, then things will be much easier.¡± As Yi Chen said this, Edmund also suddenly realized and his eyes lit up. ¡°William, was your conversation with the old man earlier deliberate? Deliberately conveying the false information that we are just the Vanguard Team?¡± Yi Chen pointed to the small grape on his shoulder. ¡°Because I can achieve this feature with Small Grape. Considering that the old man was clearly part of the same group as those in the theater, yet he stayed alone downstairs as the Gatekeeper, there¡¯s a high probability of ¡®thought communication¡¯ being possible. Therefore, based on this assumption, through interacting with the old man, we let the moon transformation subjects in the theater think that we are just the ¡®vanguard team¡¯ and that a large group of gentlemen is soon to arrive. This would cause them to start considering evacuating the district. Meanwhile, our quick elimination of the gatekeeper will severely disturb their state of mind, urging them to make a faster decision to leave the district. By then, the theater will only be left with the early-stage moon transformation subjects whose consciousness has not yet formed. Mr. Lee¡¯s request was for ¡®moon skin¡¯ within the district boundaries; those who flee the district obviously do not count, and there¡¯s no need for us to risk our lives to bring back more valuable patient skins for him. We just need this high-quality moon skin from the old man as a base, and then supplement it with the skins of other early-stage moon transformation subjects. Of course, if the moon transformation subjects are unable to communicate through thought, it does not affect our killing of the gatekeeper¡­ We can reconsider the situation in the theater after dealing with the watchdog. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡°How impressive¡­¡± Juliana murmured softly behind her black veil. Edmund had already stepped forward and patted Yi Chen on the shoulder, ¡°That¡¯s truly worthy of you, William!¡± ¡°They were just impromptu thoughts during the conversation with the old man. Let¡¯s go; we should quickly head to the sewer area directly opposite the theater¡­ If we can detect significant activity upstairs, it should further confirm that the ¡®patients¡¯ inside have started to evacuate.¡± Yi Chen had mostly recovered his physical energy exhausted during the battle as his brain absorbed nutrients; he was in an excellent condition. Just as he had gotten up, ¡ìGood Job¡ì a strange voice, whose origin he could not determine, was heard by Yi Chen. He looked around but couldn¡¯t find the source of the voice. ¡°Little Grape, did you hear any voice just now?¡± Little Grape, half-buried in his shoulder, slightly peeked out his eyes and looked disdainfully up and down: ¡°You must be ¡®brain high¡¯, imagining auditory hallucinations.¡± ¡°No joke, I really heard a voice just now.¡± Seeing Yi Chen so serious, Little Grape also began to analyze: ¡°If the voice had come from outside, both I and your teammates would have heard it, at least one of them has better hearing than you. If the voice came from within the cranium, as a symbiont, I should have heard it too. If only you heard it, Other than hallucination, it might be related to the brain you just ate. After all, this ¡®Moon Transformation Disease¡¯ is fairly novel. There¡¯s no relevant record in my memory, belonging to a rare and unusual type of illness, some oddities are to be expected.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen remained cautious; if he heard a similar voice again, he would try to trace its origin as much as possible. ¡­ The group exited the old man¡¯s home, soon reaching the sewer area directly below the theater. ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Juliana leaped lightly, driving twin daggers into the rock structure at the top of the passageway and suspending herself in mid-air. Using the daggers as a conduit, she sensed the movements above. ¡°Your guess was right. These guys are evacuating, making a huge ruckus¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen clenched his fists in secrecy, this would maximize the reduction of the squad¡¯s casualties and energy expenditure, allowing them to negotiate terms with ¡®Mr. Lee¡¯ at full capacity later. The group stayed in the sewer until the evening, and finally, the noise above ceased. Bang! The manhole cover was pushed open. The four of them appeared on the street in front of the theater¡¯s main entrance under the cover of night. There was no moonlight shining here, it was pitch dark. Lighting the kerosene lamp in hand, they walked into the historically old John¡¯s Theater through the fully open entrance hall, not feeling any prying eyes during that time. However, the open-front hall area was deserted, with no suspicious figures, nor was there any movement. ¡°Could it be that even the initial Moon Transformation patients were taken away through some kind of controlling method?¡± As everyone moved along the entrance hall to the heart of the theater, the ¡®Main Performance Hall¡¯, Click! Click! One by one, the silver-white spotlights turned on, illuminating the stage. ¡°I knew it! Only the four of you came here, those who call themselves gentlemen, the human elite, wouldn¡¯t deploy a large force for a ¡®second round¡¯ of city cleansing. Unfortunately, other cowards were scared off by your bluff. Only I, the master of the theater, and a group of poor souls who have yet to awaken, remain here. I must admit your antics in the sewer did have an effect, proving quite the ¡®actor¡¯s¡¯ talent. Why not let us have an impromptu performance, reliving the night of the False Moon in Viner City, how about it?¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 62 Performance Chapter 63: Chapter 62 Performance The sound came from the second floor of the theater¡¯s main hall. A mysterious figure clad in a shiny silver suit, wearing a moon mask, stood tip-toed on the theater¡¯s second-floor railing with his gleaming crocodile skin shoes. Yi Chen was also slightly startled, sensing the stronger aura of the patient through the gentleman¡¯s clothes than that of the old man in the sewer. The four immediately assumed a battle stance, with Edmund¡¯s gun also aimed at the man¡¯s abdomen, the chambered large-caliber bullet ready to cut the target in half at any moment. However, facing the ever-growing killing intent of the four young humans, the mysterious figure didn¡¯t make any defensive moves but instead walked elegantly across the railing like a tightrope walker and began to introduce himself. ¡°My name is Elton John, and I¡¯m the current owner of this theater. Though I only took over from my father a few years ago, I¡¯ve been continuously improving the theater, blending the new era style with the vintage style of the theater, committed to presenting better plays to the audience. Yet, accidents have followed, and this city has no more audience to appreciate the programs here. As you can see, I have been branded by the False Moon, and though I gained unimaginable abilities, I was stripped of my qualifications as a human and can¡¯t return to the life I once had. Even though my thoughts have been somewhat affected and my worldview has changed, I still can¡¯t let go of the theater passed down in my family, and even if you were to kill me, I hope to perish in a dramatic manner. Of course, if you could put aside your inner guards and agree to perform the last play with me, as long as it meets the standards of a performance, I am willing to provide as much assistance as possible. Even if you want to kill me, to cut off my skin, I will not resist¡­ as long as I can die on stage, I¡¯ll be content.¡± With that said, the theater owner had just walked a full circle along the railing, one hand forward, one behind, bowing ceremonially. The squad of four standing below did not immediately respond but waited for ¡®internal team information¡¯. During the owner¡¯s introduction, Yi Chen utilized his special visual Sense to inspect the entirety of the theater¡¯s main hall. Juliana also confirmed through vibration sensing that the only patient here was the owner. After considering it, Captain Edmund made a decision and patted Yi Chen on the shoulder. ¡°William, you handle the negotiations¡­ Like before, if we detect anything amiss during the conversation, we¡¯ll intervene directly.¡± Yi Chen made an OK gesture and walked to the center of the stage, bowing to the owner on the second floor. ¡°What is the performance about?¡± ¡°I am very glad that you have accepted my request. The demands of impromptu plays are not high. Here are four ¡®Character Cards¡¯¡­ you need to finish adapting to your roles within ten minutes, then follow my lead and start the performance of the ¡®False Moon Event.''¡± Among these four character cards, Doctor Macaul of the Twilight Clinic is the main character, affecting the quality of this play. Please make sure the member among you with the greatest acting talent takes on this role,¡± he said, and the owner shot out four cards from his cuff. Besides Twilight Clinic¡¯s Doctor Macaul, there was a clinic apprentice and two gentlemen investigators stationed in the city. The thoughts stirred, pages turned, and within less than thirty seconds, Yi Chen comprehended and remembered the character cards. He then tossed the remaining three cards to his teammates while saying, ¡°I¡¯ll play Doctor Macaul.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Before ten minutes were up, Yi Chen raised his hand to signal to the theater owner, ¡°Oh¡­ ready so soon? Don¡¯t disappoint me. Let¡¯s commence the final performance at the Old John Theater ¨C ¡®Moon Night.¡¯ I, Elton John, will personally play the creator of the False Moon Event, the greatest ¡®Moonscar.¡¯ The owner lightly leaped and landed firmly in the center of the stage. Snap! Aside from a spotlight on the owner, all other lights went off. Both arms were raised, and two self-luminous Moon props, hanging from delicate threads, hovered above the stage. ¡°Ah! What a beautiful full moon, whether in pairs, mirroring the night sky, or as a projection of people¡¯s longing for the moon. As people move their eyes, trying to peer at the scars on the moon¡¯s surface, they seem to see these marks moving, conveying some message, activating through visual reception and transforming the human brain, or perhaps injecting some kind of virus. Erase the foundation of ¡®human¡¯ in the brain and re-imprint a brand-new identity of ¡®Moonfolk.¡¯ Drawn by the moon, follow Moonscar.¡± As his lines ended, the wooden stage floor began to stir, crack! The floor broke, and a hairy hand extended out. Soon after, more and more forms, covered in silver hair, crawled out from under the shattered stage, howling at the Moon props hanging overhead like wolves. This scene slightly startled the squad members. ¡°Are these the Moon Transformation people in the early stages of infection? So, they were controlled by the boss, stacked below the stage, and genuinely cast in this play? Great, in that case, we can collect enough inferior Moon Skin.¡± At that moment, the boss continued reciting his lines. ¡°Oh! The invisible guardians of Viner City, self-proclaimed gentlemen among the elite humans, and the team of Doctor Macaul from the Twilight Clinic, they quickly became aware of the massive epidemic brought on by the moon. Due to the urgency of the situation, they chose the most effective and direct treatment method¡ª¡¯Slaughter¡¯. Meanwhile, our great Moon Scar Lord momentarily hid behind the scenes, quietly watching the events unfold.¡± As the boss recited his lines, his body was slowly enveloped by moonlight, concealing his disappearance. However, the Visual Enhancement provided by Little Grape still captured a humanoid outline. Now it was time for Yi Chen and the others to take the stage, bringing out their true abilities to skin these genuinely cast Moon Transformed citizens. The most efficient was undoubtedly Juliana, whose speed, accuracy, and the intactness of the cut Moon Skin were the highest, as long as they cut the skin with white hair and bearing the Moon Seal, these ¡®actors¡¯ would die instantly. Until the stage was completely cleared. The boss recited his lines again: ¡°The efficient ¡®treatment¡¯ temporarily suppressed the riots within the district, but the brave gentlemen also suffered severe casualties. At that moment, our Doctor Macaul, surprisingly, used a special method to find the hidden Moon Scar Lord, and the curtain call bell was rung prematurely.¡± Edmund and two others exited the stage, leaving only Yi Chen on stage, as the boss, who had concealed himself, gradually shed his moonlight disguise, revealing his true body. As the two faced each other, the boss recited his lines again. ¡°Oh! This moment has finally arrived! Doctor Macaul meets the Moon Scar Lord atop an abandoned building¡­ but, to Macaul¡¯s surprise, he seems to recognize this silver-haired youth.¡± ¡°How can it be you!¡± At that moment, Yi Chen naturally continued with a line, pupils dilated and face showing shock, fully immersed in his role. ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me, esteemed Doctor Macaul~ I¡¯m deeply grateful for the ¡®Special Treatment¡¯ you provided at the clinic, otherwise, I couldn¡¯t stand above the moon. Please let me thank you properly.¡± The battle erupted. Yi Chen engaged in combat with the boss. Of course, this ¡®combat¡¯ was somewhat performative in nature, and sound effects were even used to replicate the intensity of the battle at that time. But Yi Chen intentionally added elements of reality to this theatrical combat. According to the description in his Character Card, ¡®Doctor Macaul loses the right side of his body,¡¯ Yi Chen allowed his right side to be damaged, mutilated by the boss. In the end, he screamed with all his might and cleaved the boss¡¯s ¡®head¡¯ with a Hand Blade. The mask on the boss¡¯s face was cut into two halves and fell to the ground¡­ The moon prop hanging above the stage also fell, ending the show! The performance ended. ¡°Ah! Fantastic, you were incredible! William, are you alright?¡± The boss quickly put on another mask, pleased and excited, and immediately came forward to check on Yi Chen¡¯s injuries. However, Yi Chen had skillfully prepared by embedding plants beneath his skin in advance, apparently mangled, but in reality, his core areas, organs, or nerve tissues were not damaged. This level of pain was just a minor nuisance. Supporting Yi Chen, the boss exclaimed excitedly: ¡°You actually exposed your right side on purpose for me to damage. Moreover, several details of the performance were so nuanced that I could hardly tell them apart from reality! What a spectacular portrayal of the character, it didn¡¯t seem like a last-minute performance at all. Have you had any experience acting before?¡± Yi Chen shrugged, ¡°Not officially, just that in my childhood I often had to use ¡®acting¡¯ to ensure I wasn¡¯t the most unfortunate one.¡± ¡°Fantastic, you are truly a real actor. As per our agreement, I will assist you as much as possible, providing the information that I know. As for my ¡®Moon Seal,¡¯ it¡¯s right here; you can strip my face skin and kill me anytime.¡± Unlike the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ in the sewer, the Moon Seal is located behind the neck. The boss took off his mask, revealing the Moon Seal precisely at the forehead, seemingly with special symbolism. Seeing such sincerity from the boss, Yi Chen conceived an even bolder plan. ¡°Mr. John, our mission here wasn¡¯t to purge you¡­ Through our recent performance exchange, I also wish the theater could continue and be showcased to more audiences. We won¡¯t kill you; we just need one favor from you, If you can succeed, please continue living as a ¡®Moon citizen.''¡± Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 63: Invitation to Assist Chapter 64: Chapter 63: Invitation to Assist Yi Chen had seen countless false faces in his lifetime, even his seemingly ¡®intimate¡¯ playmates were always wearing a false mask. If one couldn¡¯t discern, they were doomed to become the lowest of beings. That¡¯s why, when Yi Chen conversed with the old man in the sewers, he could perceive the false mask the other was wearing just from two sentences; it was too obvious, with no acting involved at all. However, the theater owner before him, though wearing a mask on the outside, was of a very pure essence. There was nothing false in his words or deeds, similar to the innkeeper from Green Lake Town. This was also the fundamental reason why Yi Chen decided to perform seriously, as establishing a relationship with the ¡®Moonfolk¡¯ would be very beneficial for the progress of the mission. Moreover, Yi Chen had also gleaned an important piece of information from the script they had just performed. The main person in charge of Twilight Clinic¡ªDoctor Macaul¡ªwas actually acquainted with ¡®Moon Scar¡¯¡­ This information directly confirmed Yi Chen¡¯s initial suspicion when he took on the mission, that the False Moon incident indeed had a connection with the clinic. [Old John¡¯s Theater], front hall bar. The owner, transformed into a bartender, was mixing his specialty cocktail, ¡®Witch and Monster,¡¯ named after his favorite play. Edmund and the others, being neutral with the ¡®Patient¡¯ for the first time, appeared somewhat reserved. Only Yi Chen, holding the layered red and black cocktail, savored it carefully. ¡°Mr. John, before I ask for your help, I need to confirm some information. In the play we just performed, what exactly is Doctor Macaul¡¯s relationship with ¡®Moon Scar¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really sure about matters involving Lord Moon Scar. I have fully expressed all that I know in the play, only aware that Lord Moon Scar seemed to be a special patient in the clinic at one time. As for more specifics, I am also unclear.¡± When the owner provided this key piece of information, Edmund and the others were profoundly shocked, never expecting that the False Moon incident really had an association with the clinic¡­ Their admiration and reverence for the noble profession of the [Doctor] suffered a certain blow. At this moment, Edmund interjected, ¡°When the False Moon incident broke out, you were still in the early stages of infection, not even possessing independent consciousness¡­ how did you come to know the association between Open Source patients and the clinic?¡± ¡°Whether you believe it or not is up to you¡­ These pieces of information were just gleaned when I looked directly at the moon, peering into some of Lord Moon Scar¡¯s past experiences.¡± At this time, sitting at the far end of the bar, Dagbert, who rarely spoke, offered his thoughts. ¡°The organization¡¯s reason for classifying the ¡®False Moon incident¡¯ as confidential could relate to the disgraceful acts behind it, which are contrary to gentlemanly conduct. The data shown to us had also been edited, purposely concealing the clinic¡¯s issues.¡± This statement gave Yi Chen a mental stimulus, following up with Dagbert¡¯s words, ¡°That¡¯s right! Collecting secret medicine might just be the surface of our mission. The collection assignment given to us by the organization could possibly be to test our level of ¡®exploration.¡¯ Whether we can excavate the hidden truths behind the false clues.¡± Listening to this, Juliana also slightly nodded, lifting the black veil to drink the cocktail in her cup. Captain Edmund also followed suit with his drink, sighing deeply. ¡°Since childhood, the elders in my family often told me¡­ Pathological itself, and the objects it affects, aren¡¯t frightening; with enough strength, one can eradicate and kill it. The truly terrifying thing is to be infected oneself and be completely unaware of it. Perhaps Doctor Macaul has already been affected in the process of combating the illness. However, let¡¯s excavate the truth behind the clinic ourselves before we discuss it further.¡± With that, he scratched the needle marks on his neck, with more rat hair present than earlier in the day. The theater owner had naturally noticed this detail and said quietly, ¡°Have you had contact with that old rat up in the mountains?¡± Yi Chen responded, ¡°That¡¯s right, our real destination in coming to Viner City this time is the abandoned clinic¡­ The place where we need your help is also there.¡± ¡°Oh~ I see.¡± The boss was a smart man, combining the pinpoint wounds, the collection of Moon Skin by everyone, he quickly unraveled the sequence of events. ¡°During our gathering, we, the remaining Moon people, also went to the clinic on the mountain in an attempt to find more of our kind¡­ However, that rat hiding deep underground directly devoured two of our companions. Cowardly and deceitful, for some reason, he seemed to have become more powerful than us, and even closer to ¡®the Moon¡¯s distance.¡¯ However, because of this, he was imprisoned underground, unable to escape.¡± At this point in the conversation, Yi Chen immediately seized the opportunity, his gaze meeting the boss¡¯s silver pupils: ¡°Mr. John, would you be willing to help us kill that rat? With your ¡®performance assistance,¡¯ our chances of success would significantly increase.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be delighted.¡± ¡­ There was still plenty of time before the one-week deadline. Having confirmed the theater owner¡¯s ¡®friendliness,¡¯ everyone decided to rest in the theater. There was also another matter that needed to be confirmed, which was whether the effect of the Same Space would extend to the city area; everyone waited until midnight, to find that¡­ there was none. The city ruins were still pitch-dark at dawn, with no sign of the rising full moon. This confirmed that the Same Space constructed by the moon indeed only affected the Twilight Clinic and was directly related to Mr. Lee underground. Main hall of the theater. The four of them were bedding down here, letting down their guard. Edmund¡¯s mood relaxed completely as he chatted with Yi Chen beside him before sleep. ¡°Huh~ Things are going smoother than expected. William, you¡¯ve completely stolen the spotlight from me, the captain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just better at dealing with people¡­¡± ¡°Dealing with Patients is completely different~ How did you manage to do it, or where did you get the experience from? You haven¡¯t completed a single mission in the past six months.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that incident in Green Lake Town¡­¡± As Yi Chen became more familiar with everyone, he spoke more and recounted the experience in Green Lake Town. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t afraid of dying, are you? To trust Patients you only knew for two days without any guarantees, and let them take you to the Watcher¡¯s presence?¡± ¡°Consider it a grand gamble I made in that situation. Of course, the premise of the gamble was also based on my observations of the two. The siblings who ran the inn were similar to the theater owner; they didn¡¯t wear masks for pretense on their faces. It was that gamble that made me realize the importance of ¡®communicating with Patients.¡¯ In the subsequent evaluation by the organization, the examiners did not deny this action, which shows that the organization also somewhat agrees with this special interaction.¡± Edmund stopped his usual carefree and sunny demeanor, became quite serious, as if remembering something. ¡°Communicating with patients is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Every human being living in this world instinctively rejects the Patients, who are like the world¡¯s germs that have lost humanity¡¯s essential nature. It¡¯s an inherent physiological repulsion, difficult to cast aside.¡± But Yi Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t feel that way; I just judge through experience whether they can be approached, whether they are trustworthy.¡± Listening to such an answer reminded Edmund of something. ¡°No wonder you were able to accept the Pathological Crystal before becoming a gentleman. William, you must be the kind of person grandfather referred to¡­¡± ¡°What kind of person?¡± ¡°Someone who can completely adapt to this diseased world, effortlessly blend in, yet still retain their self¡­ a ¡®Madman.''¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 64 Weapon Preparation Chapter 65: Chapter 64 Weapon Preparation The next morning ¡°Moon Skin (Patient)¡± ¡Á 1 ¡°Hairy Moon Skin¡± ¡Á 20 The collected Moon Skins were spaced evenly on the ground. Yi Chen and Edmund had also removed their upper garments, revealing two bodies radiating masculine hormones, yet inherently different in essence. Edmund¡¯s muscle distribution, contour lines, and overall proportions conformed to contemporary aesthetics. Yi Chen¡¯s musculature was somewhat strange, not only overall lean but also with some muscles noticeably shorter, and some unexpectedly continued where they shouldn¡¯t. The lines were deeply defined, seemingly related to specialized training in the past Though it looked harmonious overall, those in the know would understand that acquiring such a physique must have involved special tempering. To one side, the two-meter-tall Dagbert nodded repeatedly upon seeing Yi Chen¡¯s distinctive muscles. Next, the two started applying the Moon Skins to their bodies using an adhesive, continuing from the upper body to the thighs and legs. After fully applying them, they immediately redressed. The attire made from ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± could suppress the Moon Skins, ensuring they would not cause any pathological effects on the body. While straightening his clothes, Yi Chen remarked, ¡°With this, we now have enough leverage to negotiate with Mr. Lee.¡± Due to the early morning hours, the Clinic would be bathed in moonlight and experience the transition between the inner and outer worlds. For the remaining time today, everyone stayed in the Theater, conducting a brief simulation of the plan about to be implemented. In fact, even with the assistance of the theater manager, this plan still had several uncertain factors, and failing to connect any of these ¡°points¡± would greatly increase the difficulty later on, or even lead to a direct collapse. Even if everything went smoothly, they would ultimately still have to confront ¡®the Pathological Gentleman ¨C Mr. Lee¡¯. Even with five mission experiences, Edmund and his team had never fought against a ¡°Severe Patient.¡± As the manager said, Mr. Lee, compared to the Moonfolk of the city, was closer to the moon, able to harness more of the moon¡¯s powers; his own abilities as a gentleman would also be pathologically amplified. ¡°The key to eradicating a Severe Patient lies in finding the concealed ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ within his body. If it cannot be found in a short time, our physical strength will gradually fall behind, ultimately leading to death.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for the search.¡± Yi Chen and Juliana almost simultaneously spoke these words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to the two of you, as the searching methods you possess are different. Working together might help you find it faster. If the plan proceeds smoothly, and we come into a direct confrontation with Mr. Lee¡­ Dagbert and I will do everything we can to create opportunities for you to make contact and search.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°By the way, Moonfolk are immune to silver, so our weapons will be significantly less effective. William, you are still using basic weapons, which are already somewhat inadequate against ordinary Patients¡­ not to mention causing damage to a Severe Patient. Later, focus primarily on searching for the Pathogen Core to minimize direct encounters with Mr. Lee.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll manage,¡± said William. Edmund was right. In the sewer, the old man had caught William¡¯s single-handed attack with his palm. The success in severing the old man¡¯s arm, was based on wielding the axe with both arms, the additional power provided by pathological plants, the initial speed from a full sprint, and a special vision that had locked onto the center of the crevice in the dog-transformed arm. The combination of four conditions was necessary for a successful strike. If they were to face Mr. Lee, a Severe Patient, he might possess higher hardness, toughness, or regenerative capabilities, relying merely on this ordinary Hand Axe might not cause any damage. ¡°A weapon?¡± The theater owner, who was serving sausage and potato stew to everyone, happened to hear this topic of conversation. Yi Chen smelled an opportunity and immediately pressed, ¡°Do you have more suitable weapons for killing the enemy here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any ready-made, but I myself am skilled in some crafts and can temporarily become a weapons craftsman with the aid of disguise and performance abilities. If you have suitable materials, you could try crafting a weapon. By the way, how did you deal with the Gatekeeper¡¯s body?¡± ¡°We just ¡®skinned¡¯ it; the body is still down there.¡± ¡°The fellow¡¯s Physical form is quite robust, and the arm combined with a pet dog has considerable destructive power¡­ Bringing his body up here will certainly be useful. I will use the leftover theatrical physical materials and some personal treasures to try to craft a decent rodenticide weapon before dawn.¡± Shortly after, a severely dehydrated old man¡¯s body with a sewer smell was moved to the theater¡¯s front hall. ¡°The right Arm was completely cut open, but thankfully the bone structure remained intact¡­ Let me confirm again, you prefer using the ¡®Axe,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yi Chen had been training his Physical body over the last six months and had little research or training with weapons. Certainly not an expert, the only weapon he was comfortable with was the Hand Axe taken from the cemetery. ¡°How about we craft it according to the proportions of the Axe in your hand?¡± ¡°That would be great, thank you, Mr. John.¡± Yi Chen handed over the Axe that had accompanied him since leaving the cemetery and joining the organization, The owner, dragging the body with one hand and holding the Axe with the other, went into his private quarters, and soon the sounds of flesh being torn and bones cracking could be heard. Every so often, he would go to the main hall to drag some hairy bodies back. Yi Chen did not insist¡­ He stayed alone in a partition, closed his eyes for meditation, and occasionally absorbed the cerebral marrow of the early infected. It was ten o¡¯clock at night. After a busy day, the theater owner finally emerged from the room, the completed weapon wrapped in cloth, still dripping with blood at the bottom. The four people gathered in the theater¡¯s front hall almost simultaneously smelled a strong stench of blood and quickly looked at the mysterious weapon in the owner¡¯s hand. ¡°Although there are some flaws, it¡¯s still pretty good overall¡­ Give it a try, it should be more useful than your previous Hand Axe.¡± Unwrapping the cloth. A special Hand Axe, completely made from a body, appeared before them, providing a shocking visual impact. [Axe Handle]- Made from a suitably curved, slightly polished, and polished spine, with bandage-like dead skin wrapped around the palm grip area, enhancing comfort and friction. [Axe Head]- Seemingly through some kind of melting and compressing technique, mainly using the Gatekeeper¡¯s right arm, a large amount of bone melded and compressed together. The Axe face even maintained evident, clear bone patterning. [Axe Blade]- Specially designed in the shape of a dog¡¯s mouth, while retaining sharp slashing properties, it was also embedded with Sharp Teeth, capable of easily tearing biological tissues and administering Big Bloodletting. Fresh Blood still flowed from it, suggesting that neatly planned blood vessels were embedded between the compressed bones in the Axe Head, bestowing a certain vitality to the Axe. As Yi Chen received the Axe, he observed closely, Despite flaws in bone connections and detailed carvings, it added a rugged charm. Feeling the residual warmth between the bones and the significance brought by the compressed bones, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°Great stuff!¡± Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 65: Returning to the Clinic Chapter 66: Chapter 65: Returning to the Clinic When Yi Chen gripped the handle of the Hand Axe, the suit on his body seemed to come to life as well. The cuffs of his Shirt actually began to split on their own, releasing several fine fibrous threads that inserted themselves into the gaps of the axe handle, seemingly reading the specific information of the weapon. Soon, ancient, maggot-like characters appeared within Yi Chen¡¯s field of vision, providing detailed information about the axe. ¡°Dog Jaw Axe¡± Quality: Excellent Type: Axe (Slashing/Cutting) Attribute Association: [Physique] C [Coordination] E [Intelligence] ¨C [Sensing] ¨C [Luck] ¨C *The higher the associated attribute values, the more damage the weapon can cause Special Effects: ¡°Moonlit Mad Dog¡± ¨C Deals 1.3 times physical damage when hitting blood and flesh targets (night-time only). *The craftsmanship of the weapon is not perfect; excessive use may cause damage. Review ¨C ¡°The full moon in the night sky awakens the beastly instincts of hunting dogs!¡± ¡­ ¡°Hmm! Special effects against life forms with blood and flesh structures too? And our operation takes place during the night as well!¡± Yi Chen couldn¡¯t wait to test the weapon and swiftly executed a combination of strikes in the air. When the axe blade was swung at high speeds, it tore through the air, and one could faintly hear a hint of a dog¡¯s bark. ¡°Weapons crafted from the limbs of the Patient¡­¡± Edmund and others were also intrigued by the Hand Axe, they could all feel a sense of aggression and destructiveness emanating from the axe that was very similar to the Gatekeeper dogs in the sewers, almost as if the Patient had been turned directly into a weapon. The boss¡¯s voice came from beneath the moon mask: ¡°This axe should help you carve through the rats¡¯ physical bodies. However, as it is my first creation, the details are still far from refined. Use it judiciously.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Theater owner adjusted his mask and asked, ¡°When shall we go to the rat¡¯s den?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to head there right at midnight, it would make our ¡®Skinning¡¯ process seem too easy¡­ Let¡¯s set out around 3 or 4 in the morning. Mr. John, you¡¯ve had a long day; this will give you a chance to rest as well.¡± But the owner decisively rejected the suggestion to rest. Night had fallen, and this was when he felt most energetic, ¡°The thought of having a chance to kill that despicable rat keeps me so excited I can¡¯t sleep at all.¡± An idea struck Yi Chen, ¡°Then how about you warm up with me? Test the new weapon.¡± ¡°No problem at all, I need to get my body moving too.¡± And so, Yi Chen and the owner wearing the moon mask went to the main theater to have a practice duel with a certain performative nature. Edmund and the others also made their way to the main hall, and after watching the fight for a while, they too couldn¡¯t resist joining in the pre-battle warm-up. ¡­ Secret Medicine Recovery ¨C Day Four 02:50 in the early morning As the pre-battle warm-up ended, the owner of the Theater, wearing a mask, spread out his limbs as much as possible and lay on the ground in a spread-eagled position. ¡°Come on, start your plan. Don¡¯t worry about my condition, chop it up as much as possible. That rat is quite cunning, and if we don¡¯t make it vicious and real enough, he will surely become suspicious. Just avoid damaging my Moon Seal, and I won¡¯t die from it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± For the next half an hour, sounds like those from a slaughterhouse emerged from deep within the Theater. All was ready, Dagbert and Juliana each carried a large backpack from Zion, filled with miscellaneous items, and as they moved, one could even feel a swishing of liquid inside. ¡­ On the road below the Clinic in the mountains, four figures staggered out, With haggard faces, disheveled hair, and blood-stained gentleman¡¯s clothes, one could surmise the four had been through a prolonged and intense ¡®battle¡¯. As they stepped up the slope from the side of the road, The previously empty night sky suddenly had a full moon appear. The cast moonlight clung to their bodies like a reptile, always eager to penetrate the brain and take over the skin. As the moonlight fell upon the backpacks filled with fragmented materials, An intense excitement immediately transmitted from the inside, with some chunks of flesh seemingly eager to wriggle out of the backpack to personally bask in the moonlight. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Without lingering, they dragged their ¡®weary¡¯ bodies up the slope to reach the clinic and returned to the apprentice dormitory where they had slept before. One after another, wordlessly, they collapsed into bed and fell into sleep. Hum! When Yi Chen opened his eyes again, a blood-stained, bandaged head was almost completely pressed against his face. ¡°So late and still rushing over¡ª you two are really dedicated. I¡¯m sure Mr. Lee will be very happy. Looking at how exhausted you are¡­ do you need an injection to perk you up?¡± The bandaged nurse swayed her syringe-tipped finger, from which a bright green liquid continuously oozed. ¡°No need, just take us to Mr. Lee, please.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± As expected, only Yi Chen and Edmund, who slept in the lower bunk, came ¡°inside¡±, while Dagbert and Juliana continued to sleep ¡°surface¡±. Whew¡­ After taking a deep breath, Yi Chen and Edmund followed the nurse down to the underground area. The flesh bubble elevator, the complex subterranean palace swarming with white rats, and the most hidden and deeply secretive wards, Mr. Lee, bearing a resemblance to a rat himself, was still confined to the bed, the silver-white veins on his back firmly rooted into the ground beneath. He was under the full-time care of the female doctor and nurses responsible for the infusions. Upon seeing the two young men again, Mr. Lee wasn¡¯t especially happy. ¡°Cough cough¡­ I gave you seven days, and you¡¯re back after just two? Are you worried about the medicine acting too soon, or did you really finish the task I gave you?¡± Yi Chen stared into his small eyes and responded: ¡°We have slaughtered all the Moon People in Viner City and completed the collection of Moon Skin.¡± These words caused Mr. Lee¡¯s eyes to narrow to slits. ¡°Oh? You even know the term ¡®Moon People¡¯, it seems you really have had quite an in-depth encounter with those folks. But ¡®all¡¯? How did you come up with that word? Do you mean to say that you and the other two teammates outside could complete a thorough search of Viner City in just two days? I personally find that hard to believe; I hope you can provide a reasonable explanation, as I don¡¯t quite like dishonest people.¡± ¡°Those Moon People weren¡¯t scattered around the city; they had gathered together in advance¡­ It seems they were planning to form a special organization to leave this place of dispute. By the time we arrived, many Moon People had already evacuated, and the rest were all intercepted and killed by us. Without almost any rest, we immediately brought the cut-off Moon Skin to the clinic. If Mr. Lee doesn¡¯t believe me, you can order your subordinates to confirm it¡­ If there are any Moon People remaining in the city, we are willing to offer our bodies and stay here forever.¡± The last sentence, naturally, was said deliberately for Mr. Lee to hear, If he really could intervene in areas beyond the mountains, he would have acted on his own long ago. Even asking Yi Chen and the others to do the job, he could¡¯ve easily placed a nurse to accompany them the whole time, monitoring the collection of Moon Skin to prevent any tricks. Unfortunately, he was completely confined here, powerless to do anything. The ¡®Grayification¡¯ brought by the moon only applied to ¡®Same Space¡¯; those ¡®Non-Normality Patients¡¯ born here would crumble into chunks of flesh and machinery once they left the moonlit area. Unless Mr. Lee reached a higher level and combined Same Space with reality, he could not truly intervene in the outside world. To be promoted, to gain freedom, his only hope lay in the ¡®Moon Skin¡¯ from those Moon People. It was precisely because Yi Chen guessed this point that he was able to hold some initiative. ¡­ Squeak, squeak! Innumerable red-eyed white rats perched on Yi Chen and Edmund, sniffing for any traces of sweat that might seep out, sensing their nervous activity. Mr. Lee on the sickbed watched the two young men¡¯s eyes for an extended period, As time passed, he did not capture any signs of deceit. Mr. Lee¡¯s questioning face slowly split into a disgusting smile, between his teeth, one could even vaguely see rats scurrying around, ¡°It seems you really are quite capable; no need for verification, I trust your ¡®honesty¡¯ as gentlemen¡­ Let¡¯s complete the final trade now.¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 66 Delivery Chapter 67: Chapter 66 Delivery Mr. Li, lying on the sickbed as a Patient ¡®closer to the moon¡¯, had long sensed the aura of Moon Skin emanating from the two men. He struggled to suppress the craving and excitement within him, suppressing his longing for freedom, and did his utmost to maintain the dignity and oppression that befitted the owner of the Clinic. ¡°Hand over all the Moon Skin you¡¯ve collected to me, and as long as the merchandise is without issues, I will instruct the nurse to administer a sufficient dose of Rat Plague serum to you,¡± he said. Yi Chen first gave a standard gentleman¡¯s bow, then, in front of Mr. Li, the Doctor, and the nurse, he began to remove his coat and waistcoat and unbutton his shirt. Edmund did the exact same thing beside him. When their upper bodies, covered in Moon Skin, were fully exposed, they emitted an especially pungent fuel odor¡­ stemming from pre-prepared kerosene lamp fuel. Yi Chen said with a smile: ¡°Mr. Li, you are no longer a ¡®gentleman¡¯, therefore I have doubts about your honest character. I request that we first be given the Antidote, and once the Pathogen is cleansed, we will naturally fulfill our promise and hand over all the Moon Skin. Of course, if there¡¯re any issues, we wouldn¡¯t mind burning our Physical bodies, incinerating the last remaining Moon Skin in Viner City¡­ Self-immolation is better than willingly degrading oneself,¡± he said. Yi Chen¡¯s words were saturated with satire, causing Mr. Li¡¯s facial muscles to twitch, but he could only suppress the anger within his heart. That¡¯s right, he didn¡¯t dare lash out, for if the last remaining Moon Skin was destroyed, he might be trapped here forever. ¡°¡­ I agree to your terms,¡± said Mr. Li. As Mr. Li nodded, the bandaged nurse inserted the needles corresponding to their ring fingers into the necks of the two men, and though it was an Antidote, Yi Chen still had Vision help with rerouting its absorption to prevent any adverse effects on the body. After five minutes had passed, the white hairs on Edmund¡¯s neck began to fall off, and his eyes started to clear. Once the Antidote¡¯s effectiveness was confirmed, the two of them started tearing off the Moon Skin adhered all over their bodies, stacking it together. Mr. Li on the sickbed was also very cautious, not letting Yi Chen or Edmund hand it directly to him, but instead had the nurse nearby act as an intermediary. When the stacked Moon Skin was brought before him, Mr. Li could no longer restrain his excitement, ignoring his body glued to the sickbed, forcibly sitting up¡­ with a ripping sound, streaks of Blood and Flesh on his back were torn apart. However, as Mr. Li examined each piece of Moon Skin, the excited expression on his face gradually faded. Lifting his eyes like the most vicious rat in the gutter, he gazed at the two men on the bed, ¡°Twenty inferior Skins, with only one piece of Moon Skin that¡¯s somewhat satisfactory¡­ I¡¯m not very pleased with this amount.¡± ¡°There was nothing we could do, we arrived at Old John¡¯s Theater when most of the Moonkin had already evacuated. However¡­¡± Yi Chen deliberately drew out his tone, waiting for the other party to prompt him. ¡°However, what?¡± ¡°However, we not only killed a Moonkin in the sewers, but we also encountered a very Special Moonkin at Old John¡¯s Theater, whose Power exceeded that of an Ordinary Moonkin. It was precisely because of this Moonkin that we spent an entire day and a great deal of our Physique, barely managing to complete a ¡®kill¡¯¡­ no, it should count as a Capture Technique?¡± ¡°Where is his Skin? Why isn¡¯t it here?¡± ¡°This Moonkin is quite Special, with his Moon Seal landing right at the position of the ¡®third eye¡¯. We tried to tear off his entire face Skin, but found it was too easily damaged, so we had to abandon the skin harvesting. In the end, we decided to ¡®dismantle¡¯ this Moonkin, divided into two pouches, and brought him specifically to the Clinic for your personal utilization. I believe that aside from the Moon Skin being useful to you, his Physical body might also be a good supplement,¡± Yi Chen suggested. At this news, Mr. Li immediately became interested. ¡°Oh! You¡¯ve actually Captured one alive, why not bring it here quickly for me? If it is as Special as you say, I won¡¯t mind the shortfall in Moon Skin.¡± Yi Chen said somewhat awkwardly: ¡°As you can see, we have exhausted our Physique during the fight. The two large backpacks used for transporting the ¡®Moonkin¡¯ are now in our teammates¡¯ hands¡­ their condition is relatively better and they¡¯re more capable of guarding the dismantled Moonkin, to prevent him from escaping and regenerating. They are currently carrying the backpacks and are asleep. As long as you allow them to come ¡®inside¡¯, the items can be delivered anytime.¡± Mr. Li didn¡¯t respond immediately but pondered something. The reason why he had only arranged to meet with the two men was to consider the risks that might arise once the full squad assembled¡­ Even if the people before him were just junior gentlemen, he needed to remain cautious. If not for this caution, he would¡¯ve been dead long ago. ¡°¡± After some deliberation, Mr. Li made his decision, ¡°Your companions will be coming over here shortly, but they can only stay in the clinic. The backpack with the corpse pieces will be taken by a nurse to the underground area and delivered into my hands.¡± Yi Chen feigned deep thought as he spoke, ¡°That carries a great risk! My companion is proficient in ¡®sealing¡¯ techniques, and it¡¯s his responsibility to seal and monitor the backpack carrying the lunar citizen¡­ If we hand it over to the nurses here, the seal will be broken. Not to mention that the clinic is bathed in moonlight, which could empower that lunar citizen, making it quite possible for them to kill the nurse and escape en route. By then, there would be no chance to capture them back.¡± Mr. Li nodded lightly, acknowledging the reason in Yi Chen¡¯s words; he himself would not allow such a situation to occur. ¡°How about this, let the one skilled in sealing come down here, while the other must remain above. If they really are a special, high-quality lunar citizen who meets my needs as you claim, I will naturally let you return to report back, so you can continue to live well in Zion.¡± Yi Chen bowed slightly, speaking very respectfully, ¡°Certainly, Mr. Li, you may make the arrangements.¡± Almost at the same time. Dagbert and Anna woke up on this side, visiting ¡®Same Space¡¯ for the first time, even though they had been forewarned about the ¡®internal grayification¡¯. But upon seeing the patrol of long-legged doctors and bandage-wrapped nurses, they were still stunned for a moment¡­ The visual impact brought by the Non-Normality was rather strong. ¡°Mr. Li said that only the one among you responsible for sealing the backpack can come down with me, the other person needs to wait above,¡± the nurse said. The two of them were quick to respond, immediately realizing what ¡®sealing¡¯ meant. Dagbert, ever reticent, took off his backpack and spoke first, ¡°I¡¯ll stay above.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Juliana didn¡¯t say much else, taking the two bags on her own and following the bandage-wrapped nurse into the elevator. The reason for this arrangement was simple, the space in the basement infirmary was limited, and if a battle broke out, Dagbert¡¯s physique and giant sword would not have room to maneuver and would risk injuring teammates due to the close quarters. Remaining above, he would also cut off the connection between the clinic and the underground area. Dagbert stayed at the elevator entrance, standing with legs astride¡­ Clang! He planted his heavy sword straight before him, standing guard like a door god. ¡­ [Basement] As Juliana delivered the ¡®goods¡¯, Mr. Li, lying on the hospital bed, trembled all over, Being of the same origin as a lunar citizen, he could distinctly feel that the ¡®companion¡¯ inside the bags was extraordinary, likely more valuable than all other Moon Skin combined. His previous dissatisfaction with Yi Chen instantly evaporated, he had no desire to cause trouble or complicate matters. Although he could have gone back on his word and killed the young visitors¡­ considering the impending freedom and the bright future, Mr. Li was unwilling to introduce any additional variables. ¡°You newcomers are quite impressive~ I¡¯m delighted to see that Zion can cultivate such distinguished young gentlemen like you. Let it be so; our trade is concluded¡­ Take this empty Secret Medicine Bottle, and you can head back with peace of mind.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Li.¡± Yi Chen maintained his benevolent smile, stepping forward to take the Secret Medicine Bottle. The moment his fingers touched the bottle, Bang~Bang~Bang! Whoosh! Three gunshots rang out, followed by a slicing sound. Hiss~ White smoke billowed. The ¡®Gun-Sword Emblem¡¯ branded on Edmund¡¯s neck glowed a heated red, emitting white smoke like a branding iron. The blood-stained short sword was held horizontally in his right hand, cleanly slicing through the metal stand and the head of the female doctor. His left hand held a smoking pistol, having just instantly hit the foreheads of three nurses. Juliana didn¡¯t take action, instead quickly tipping the fragmented flesh out of the backpack, under the effects of the intact Moon Seal, all the pieces began to converge toward the head and reassemble rapidly. ¡°You¡­¡± Mr. Li hadn¡¯t reacted yet, when a shadow of a dog flashed before his eyes, biting through his head. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 67 Mouse Chapter 68: Chapter 67 Mouse [Mariano family] The family Edmund belonged to was well-known throughout the Fourth Continent, owning even a large estate in Zion and continuously developing their own firearms industry. The firearms produced by the Mariano factory, like their family culture, emphasized ¡°excellence, swiftness, and lethality.¡± Each firearm produced by the family guaranteed high quality, but at the expense of stability, they opted for lighter weight and increased power. From the age of five, family members were required to go through rigorous firearms training, and if they couldn¡¯t fully adapt to the recoil by the age of ten, they would be cut off from the family¡¯s nurturing system and lose their living allowances. Edmund Mariano Edmund began practicing firearms with his father at the age of five, and by the age of eight, he finished firearms training early with a perfect target score. He was then sent to a specialized training ground under the auspices of the organization to develop his physique, reflexes, enemy killing skills, and to learn the use of cold weapons. At thirteen, he gained the qualifications to hunt outside, joining the family¡¯s gentlemen to clear the surrounding area of patients, starting to accumulate experience early. Eventually, he joined the organization with a score of 86 and received a blue letter, unlocking the rare profession ¡°Gun Swordsman.¡± ¡ÚProfessional Characteristics¡Û ¡°Mastery and Comprehension¡±: Alternating between firearms and swords can improve the ¡®synergy proficiency¡¯ of both. As proficiency increases, it can elevate the speed of reloading, shooting accuracy, sword drawing speed, and other basic attributes, and when proficiency is high enough, there¡¯s a chance to comprehend special combat skills. ¡°Neurological Adjustment¡±: Achieving a certain number of kills with coordinated gun and sword against patients can accelerate the growth of the [Coordination Motorics] value. Raised by a noble house and having received gentlemanly training from childhood, Edmund, felt an ideological shock when he first came to the Clinic¡¯s basement in the Same Space and saw the self-degraded Pathological Gentleman ¨C Mr. Li. Edmund resolved to eradicate such degenerates. When Yi Chen first proposed the ¡°Rat Extermination Plan,¡± he immediately agreed as the captain, betting his life and choosing to stay here. Currently, as the plan moved smoothly towards its final phase, Edmund¡¯s long-suppressed anger burst forth, an extraordinary focus allowed him almost instantly to achieve headshots and beheadings. Although such head-targeting strikes could not destroy the Pathogen Core inside the opponent¡¯s body and were not guaranteed to kill the Non-Normality, they bought enough time to make adjustments. With such time, the theater manager finished fusing his body. He turned his head, looking at everyone as well as Mr. Li on the patient bed. ¡°Although I¡¯d really like to stay here and kill this old rat with you, it seems there are many restless things outside trying to storm into the clinic. I¡¯ll stand guard outside for you, clean out the detritus in the catacombs, and eliminate any interference. Please make sure to kill this disgusting old rat.¡± The Moon Seal on the manager¡¯s forehead activated instantly, spilling out silver radiance¡­ This was the first time he displayed his true Moon people strength. The white suit fell away. From his back and slightly above his waist, arms of different styles grew, each corresponding to his inherent actor traits. There were slender female-like arms with sharp, long nails, and old, pathological arms that were rotting and could exude corrosive acid from between the limbs, The manager¡¯s head also sprouted the faces of a young woman and an old person on either side, each with different emotional expressions, coordinating observations of the surroundings and behind. Click! The manager stepped out of the clinic room and proceeded to seal the door. Soon after, sounds of combat arose outside the door, To further reduce outside interference, Juliana poured all the previously prepared fuel at the doorway and ignited it. If the rats tried to squeeze through the gap in the door, most would be scorched. ¡­ [Scene switch (Yi Chen)] On Yi Chen¡¯s end, he maintained a gentlemanly posture and stepped forward with a smile. Capitalizing on the moment Edmund shot and drew Mr. Li¡¯s attention, one of his hands had already slipped inside his coat, reaching behind to his belt¡­ touching the handle of the Spine Axe that had become scorching hot from the moonlight. Drawing the axe, swinging the arm, tracing an almost circular trajectory in the air, carrying the full force of his body to strike precisely on the ¡®Moon Seal¡¯ on the side of Mr. Li¡¯s neck. Swoosh! The sensation of cutting with the new weapon was distinctly different¡­ Compared to the rigidity of chopping with a Hand Axe, it leaned more toward a feeling of sawing and shredding. The feeling transmitted to his palm through the Spine Axe¡¯s handle was alternately slow and rapid, progressively intensifying, and richly layered. It even gave Yi Chen a faint sense of pleasure. The slashing not only cut open the neck, but tore through from the shoulder to the stomach, almost bisecting Mr. Li¡¯s body nearly in half. However, Yi Chen did not show the slightest relaxation but instead, a flicker of panic sparkled in his eyes¡­ The scene exposed before him impacted his consciousness to a certain extent. Within the cleaved body of Mr. Li, there were simply no so-called organs or skeletal structures, and it couldn¡¯t at all be described with the concept of a human body. Crammed into his body cavity were rats, or rather, a group of living creatures that could barely be called ¡®rats.¡¯ They were stuck together, forming organs and muscle tissues, and even setting up structures similar to skeletal supports, It would be better to say that what was cleaved was not Mr. Li¡¯s body, but rather a ¡°Rat Nest¡± had been split open. Clusters of crimson eyeballs were staring dead at Yi Chen, the ¡®intruder.¡¯ Steadying his mind, Yi Chen still had two things to do next. 1. Reclaim the ¡®Moon Skin¡¯ that Mr. Li was holding but hadn¡¯t had the chance to absorb. 2. Let roots grow, attempting to search for the hidden Pathogen Core within such a body. Little Grape was also staring with wide eyes, scanning the body cavity. However, just as he grabbed the ¡®Moon Skin¡¯ and was about to stash it in his backpack, and the root inspection was about to begin, the rat swarm inside Mr. Li¡¯s body showed an intention to rapidly converge. In an instant, a primal sense of danger swept over his entire body, and the plants combined with Yi Chen started to tremble, and from behind came Edmund¡¯s desperate shout: ¡°Danger! Dodge!¡± Without any hesitation! Yi Chen immediately followed up with a standard and smooth backward roll as he drew his Hand Axe. Crack! Even though his reaction was fast, he heard the sound of bones being crushed during the roll. Hiss¡ªred liquid sprayed out. With bloodshot eyes and bulging veins, Yi Chen stared fixedly at his left wrist¡­ Above the wrist, there was nothing left but the jagged wound from where sharp teeth had bitten through, and some egg-shaped Pathogens lingering on the surface of the wound. The left hand was rendered useless, looking up, the cleaved body of Mr. Li, which had been split by the axe, had been refilled by the rat swarm, assembling and constructing a monstrous, distorted mouth structure that was happily chewing. Had there been any hesitation just now, more than Yi Chen¡¯s hand would have been bitten off. Watching this scene, Yi Chen clenched his teeth, but more than his devoured left hand, he was worried about something else. ¡°Damn it! The Moon Skin!¡± Gulping it down his throat. This temporarily assembled giant rat mouth showed no intention of continuing the attack. It disassembled back into the rat swarm, returning to the body, and with it, the split wound healed. Not just that. All the white rats on the floor of the ward were drawn by their master, carrying the flesh of nurses and doctors that had been shot in the head or beheaded, all returning to Mr. Li¡¯s body to serve as nutrition. Hum! A beam of moonlight penetrated through the layers of the ground and shined into the ward, landing on Mr. Li¡¯s body. The hidden Pathogen Core within was activated, with hair standing on end, Mr. Li¡¯s body gradually separated from the hospital bed, gaining a certain degree of freedom. However, the silver blood vessels extending from his back were still rooted to the ground, the restriction not completely lifted. Completely inflamed like crystal, the eyeballs stared fixedly at the three people in front of him, and from the mouth torn by the smile, little rats kept crawling out, ¡°You guys¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just go back and complete the mission? Do you really want me to eat you?¡± Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Dilemma Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Dilemma Through the dialogue with the theater owner, Elton John, everyone had gleaned the basic information about the ¡°Moon Transformation Disease¡± before the battle. [Appearance]: Any individual who has had visual interaction with the ¡°False Moon,¡± which acts as a pathogen carrier, will develop a Moon Seal on a specific part of the body depending on their physical constitution. This belongs to the mental category of pathologies and is only effective on higher organisms that possess ¡°Thought.¡± The more active and unique an individual¡¯s thinking is, the shorter the pathological process will be¡­, when the Moon Seal crystallizes, it will transform into a special type of Patient¡ª[Moon Folk], The characteristics are as follows: 1. Immunity to silver (outer appearance will show silver eyes and silver hair) 2. Super strong physical attributes. 3. What had been a human¡¯s ¡®special skills¡¯ will be materialized, magnified, and made practical. This third point is also the most unique and most difficult to deal with among the Moon Folk disease traits, For example, a homeless man who liked to have pets could share a certain effect of the Moon Seal with his pet dog, allowing it to combine with him. A theater owner who enjoyed performing could conceal his aura, disguise himself as different people, and even concurrently express multiple limbs and faces during combat. However, Mr. Li was different, He himself was a gentleman, who had chosen the white letter, corresponding to the profession¡ª[Beast Tamer]. Perhaps related to his birth, family background, and personal preferences, Mr. Li had liked rats from an early age. After acquiring the profession of Beast Tamer, the primary group of beasts he controlled were also rats. Only, the number he could control had increased, and the control was stronger. He could use the swarm of rats for a rapid search of a certain area, a quite competent reconnaissance gentleman. But Mr. Li was naturally timid, always hiding behind others during missions, and would only take action if he was absolutely sure¡­, he would choose to avoid any trouble he could. The arrival of the Moon Transformation Disease had enhanced and magnified his ¡®profession¡¯ with disease traits, giving him an experience of extraordinary power beyond human. Not to mention, in order to protect himself, he also forcibly injected the exclusive secret medicine from the Twilight Clinic ¨C ¡°Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡±. This inadvertently brought him closer to the moon, reaching a deeper level of pathology¡ª[Severe Patient] ¡­ In the ward, Yi Chen stared at the bitten-off wrist, Roots had already removed the rat eggs, concurrently stemming the blood flow and smoothing over the wound. However, the pathological plants he mastered were still far from enough for ¡°limb reconstruction¡±. The healing potions prepared by the squad could at most stop bleeding and replenish blood¡­ To achieve regeneration, one would need to use a high-level secret medicine with matching attributes. The continuous pain from his wrist was nothing to him, instead, it stimulated his nerves, enhancing his concentration. Just then, A hard gun barrel gently tapped on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°William, as we planned earlier. I¡¯ll handle the main offense, drawing this guy¡¯s attention. You and Anna quickly find out the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ in his body.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yi Chen took a superfast step back, pressing his body against the wall. Now, the battle plan needed revision, taking into account Mr. Li¡¯s recently demonstrated terrifying strength as well as his own severed hand. Thinking, integrating, and analyzing are key to breaking through. This was the time to trust that his teammates could fight for enough time. ¡ºLittle Grape, for a Severe Patient like Mr. Li, how long can a mental invasion affect him?¡» ¡ºFrom the previous encounters with ordinary Moon Folk, the ¡®Moon Transformation Disease¡¯ is a rare pathology that raises all attributes, naturally including resistance. Even directly affecting this guy, the duration is estimated not to exceed three seconds. Moreover, re-application within half an hour will be ineffective.¡» ¡º¡­So it can only be used at the deciding moment then.¡» ¡ºYes. Using the recent opportunity when we cut open his body, yet we couldn¡¯t find the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯¡­ These weaknesses in Severe Patients are hard to discover and might even be continuously moving. Getting nervous now, huh? This situation is quite unfavorable for you. You might even be completely defeated.¡» However, Little Grape¡¯s words unexpectedly awakened Yi Chen. ¡ºWait! You said the Pathogen Core might be moving? Could it be hidden inside one of the rats, since his body structure is entirely composed of rats?¡» ¡ºTrust your intuition and deduction~ You have to survive, William.¡» ¡­ As Yi Chen leaned against the wall thinking, Mr. Li, bathed in moonlight, began to reveal his killing intent¡­ Crack! He brutally ripped the hospital bed in two halves and threw it towards Edmund, who was closest. Hum! Edmund stepped lithely to the side, dodging perfectly. The shattered hospital bed smashed into the wall, demonstrating immense strength. ¡°Oh, what quick reflexes you have¡­ Your ¡®Coordination Motorics¡¯ must be quite high,¡± he said. A smile appeared on Edmund¡¯s face beneath his blond hair as his left hand, holding a gun, made the number ¡®4¡¯. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s high~ With a bit more effort, maybe you could reach the ¡®Limit Barrier¡¯ within half a year and apply for a long vacation from the organization to start an interesting journey of relic hunting. Unfortunately, that day will never come.¡± ¡®Rat Transformation¡¯ Whoosh! Mr. Li¡¯s arm, starting from the elbow joint, separated and rapidly filled with a massive number of rats, making up the flesh and skin of the rats. By forcibly compressing and rearranging the flesh, it formed an arm structure. Thus, Mr. Li¡¯s arm transformed into a three-section structure: front, middle, and back. Longer, more flexible, and highly variable. Not only that, but the arm continued to change, growing white fur, with muscles bulging, even exhibiting hardened stripes of muscle on the surface, and sharp claw structures appearing between the palms, with each fingertip sprouting a pair of granular rat eyes, seeming to provide ¡®active¡¯ fingers capable of effectively tracking movements. This was only the beginning of the transformation. Whoosh! The spine elongated and detached, trailing behind him, Hiss hiss hiss~ swarms of rats emerged, crawling over the exposed spinal bones, intermingling and compressing their flesh, forming an extremely pathological tail structure. It was as if nearly a thousand rats merged together, with even the tip of the tail capable of tearing open to reveal a mouth filled with sharp teeth. With each tail strike, it could also bite and tear away flesh from its target. If hit, one could be instantly killed! Revealing his true pathological form, Mr. Li revealed an almost insane smile and muttered to himself: ¡°I was born a weak human, only the rats would befriend me. Even as a gentleman, some fellows in Zion, including that damn Dr. Macaul, still looked down on me. I have never experienced physical strength, relying only on my friends for information and advantage. It was the moon, it was that lord, who let me feel the power of tearing apart my opponents with my own hands, giving me a new life experience. This is where I belong¡­ Being sick feels just too good!¡± As his voice fell, his silver hair floated, he slapped his limbs on the ground, and Mr. Li pounced toward the nearest Edmund with full killing intent. With crossed claws, Mr. Li already imagined the wonderful scene of his target being torn apart. Ding! A strong metallic collision resounded in the hospital room instead of the expected sound of flesh being torn apart. As the claws were about to strike, they were perfectly deflected by the blade in Edmund¡¯s hand at a brilliant angle and timing. This perfect parrying by the blade even caused Mr. Li¡¯s pathological body to lose balance to some extent. Almost simultaneously, the emblem on Edmund¡¯s neck emitted a hot iron-like red glow, emitting wisps of white smoke. He stepped forward with his left foot, extended his arm straight, and the gun barrel, level with the ground, perfectly caught in the unbalanced Mr. Li¡¯s mouth. He pulled the trigger! Bang! The wall behind was instantly stained red, with bits of pink tissue hanging on it. Special Combat Skill ¨C ¡®Sword Gun Bullet Refraction¡¯ Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Observation and Assistance Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Observation and Assistance ¡°` ¡°Gun Sword Reflect¡± was a special combat skill Edmund comprehended during his last mission by consecutively killing enemies. It appeared to be a skill bestowed by his profession, but in fact, it was more about his own continuous accumulation, proficiency, and insight. The release of this combat skill was extremely demanding, requiring a perfect angle and timing to intercept the ¡°gap¡± in an opponent¡¯s attack. Once perfectly seized, it would inflict considerable damage. Even some gentlemen in the family who had broken through their limits would not guarantee a successful execution of such a skill, yet Edmund could use it perfectly at his age against such a formidable foe. Training, talent, and psychological quality were all indispensable. The shot that blew up the brain left his teammates utterly dumbfounded. However, this was also a perfect opportunity that his two teammates wouldn¡¯t miss. Creak~ A thick branch grew from Yi Chen¡¯s palm and reached the ceiling at the center of the ward, securing the best ¡°viewing position.¡± A mass of black fur soon emerged from the end of the branch, extending its eyes as far as possible from its mouth to observe Mr. Li¡¯s blown-open skull and the movement of the mice inside his body. This was no simple observation, Yi Chen was attempting to ¡°memorize and compare¡± every mouse inside Mr. Li¡¯s body. The mice moving orderly inside the body bore resemblance to ancient wriggling texts¡­ Yi Chen used simple variation thinking to translate their movements into readable and memorable words. The book emblem in the posterior region of his brain also wriggled rapidly, ensuring the precision and efficiency of his memory. Compared to Yi Chen¡¯s ¡°static observation,¡± Juliana was engaging in ¡°dynamic observation.¡± Her choice of blue letter as a gentleman corresponded to the profession¡ª[Secret Guest], a career combining information gathering and assassination. The professional characteristics are as follows: ¡°Shock Sound¡±: The individual¡¯s hearing has growth potential and can be enhanced through training, altering the structure of the cochlea, to hear a wider range of sounds. It can also convert shock waves into auditory signals to simulate live dynamics and spatial positioning in the brain. ¡°Silent¡±: Conceal one¡¯s aura, reducing the noise produced during movement. Such a special scouting gentleman was quite rare; a team equipped with one could significantly improve task efficiency and reduce risk, not to mention Juliana also possessed exceptional killing skills. Edmund¡¯s team being equipped with Juliana and Yi Chen, two rare all-around reconnaissance types, was somewhat luxurious. The moment Mr. Li¡¯s head was blown off, Whoosh! Whoosh! Two daggers connected to fine threads had already been thrust into Mr. Li¡¯s upper abdomen and right thigh. Vibration capture, Juliana tried to analyze Mr. Li¡¯s internal structure¡­ However, due to the abundance of mice inside him, she could only get a rough dynamic graph in a short time. ¡°No obvious Pathogen Core structure; is it possible that the Pathogen Core is hidden within the body of a mouse, or is the core one of them?¡± Just at that moment, Yi Chen¡¯s voice came from the side: ¡°Miss Anna, could you please pay attention to the movements in his lower body¡­ try to be as accurate as possible to every mouse¡¯s trajectory and try to find one that stands out from the rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the two distributed their detection tasks, the daggers inserted into Mr. Li¡¯s body surface suddenly detected significant movement of the mice, quickly gathering towards the head¡­ Clearly, they were preparing to repair the huge wound caused by the gunshot. In this process, many mice had already started to bite each other¡¯s skulls to merge their brains prematurely until they reached the volume of a human brain, at which point they could be directly installed into the skull. At this point, Anna no longer used her daggers. Instead, she took out a sword hilt covered with wrinkled old leather from her waist¡ªthe hilt had no blade. The dark aura overflowing from the hilt drew curse-like words in the air, unsettling to behold. The hilt was crafted from a Pathological Crystal obtained by perfectly killing an old woman in a previous mission who could convey Pathology through curses and incinerating her body. When Anna gripped the hilt, a curse enveloped her. At the cost of the curse itself, a slender black blade emerged, stepping silently, she joined Edmund to fight the enemy together. Here it comes! ¡°` Mr. Li¡¯s head was clearly not yet repaired, the massive rat tail dragging behind him suddenly lashed forward¡­ Clang! A loud sound of metal striking reverberated through the room, as the sharp-toothed rat tail slammed into the hilts of the swords held by Edmund and Anna, who had just arrived, sparking off fire cores and forcing them both to retreat. Quickly, the rat-connected brain fused, and the head repaired itself. ¡°Ah! It hurts so much¡­ You¡¯re clearly just rookie gentlemen, yet you possess such strength,¡± As soon as the words fell, the shadow of the rat darted! The speed Mr. Li displayed was faster than any Pathogen either of them had ever faced before. His three-section structured arms had multiple angles and versatile attack patterns. In combination with that giant rat tail behind him, which possessed great strength and a pet-like consciousness, he instantly overpowered the two of them from the front. Edmund and Anna were beaten back step by step, and their bodies began to show scratches of varying depths, any attack that landed on Mr. Li¡¯s exterior would be repaired in a short time¡­ Only hits to the joints or head could slightly slow him down. Even when Juliana delivered her curse attacks, dark wounds could be inflicted, but Mr. Li only needed to expel a few darkened rat corpses to negate the effects of the curse. Whether the rats were slain, shot, or cursed to death, they could rapidly reproduce within his body from new rats, provided with vitality by the silver blood vessels connected to Mr. Li¡¯s back. Under the intense stimulation of growth hormones, infant rats could reach the size of adult rats in mere seconds and become an important part of his physical structure. If they didn¡¯t locate the Pathogen Core soon, as their injuries accumulated and their stamina was depleted, the end would be determined within minutes. At this moment, Yi Chen was still making his ¡°Observations¡±. Using the effective damage his teammates inflicted on Mr. Li to peer through the wounds of various sizes, he watched the detailed movements of the rats inside. Observing and comparing each rat in such detail that his head began to smoke. His eyeballs were already bloodshot, and blood trailed from his nose, sliding down the sides of his cheeks¡­ falling into the mouth of the little grape on his shoulder, which tasted a weird bloody flavor, apparently mixed with a large amount of dead brain cell fluid. Feeling slightly moved inside, he sent a telepathic message. ¡°William¡­ From now on, I won¡¯t pay for your mistakes! This is the only time, and it¡¯s also because you have a strong desire to live and to slay your target. I¡¯ll reluctantly provide you with some combat support.¡± As soon as the words ended, the little grape perched on his shoulder rapidly scurried to his left arm and dove straight into the severed wrist. At the same moment, Mr. Li, who held the absolute advantage, sensed a dangerous aura due to his innate rat instincts. ¡°Hm?¡± He glanced in the direction of the sensation during a brief respite from combat and saw Yi Chen, who had been standing against the wall, had vanished. ¡°Where did he go?¡± As he continued to face the two before him, a faint sensing emanated from behind. ¡°Hm? Behind me?!¡± Before he could turn, an excruciating pain engulfed his back, so intense that Mr. Li immediately abandoned his oppressive advantage and crawled away quickly to gain distance. There, the silver blood vessels connected to Mr. Li¡¯s back had all been severed, and in the center of the infirmary, Yi Chen, holding the axe that cut the silver vessels, hung it by his leg. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ wasn¡¯t my hand eaten by him?¡± In Mr. Li¡¯s eyes, Yi Chen¡¯s left arm, which should have been missing, had regrown, and it seemed as if he was wearing a strange glove covered in black fur. He even felt something on the back of the hand looking at him. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Giving It All Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Giving It All Due to Yi Chen¡¯s sudden intervention, Edmund and Anna had the chance to catch their breath and immediately took out three different colored injections from the inner layer of the coat and administered them intravenously. *Temporary physical enhancement *Pathological suppression *Rapid vitality replenishment Right after the injections, they took a deep breath and continued to maintain their fighting stance. The relieved Edmund also noticed something unusual about Yi Chen, ¡°William¡­ your hand!¡± Newly initiated gentlemen, or rather, Rank ¡°Human¡± gentlemen, unless using secret medicine, could not possibly have the nearly grotesque ability of limb regeneration. At that moment, Yi Chen¡¯s previously bitten off left hand was completely restored, even holding the Hand Axe, severing all the silver blood vessels clustered on Mr. Lee¡¯s back. Edmund quickly discovered the key to the ¡®repair.¡¯ ¡°Is it that pet on William¡¯s shoulder? Isn¡¯t that thing supposed to be an ¡®Vision type pet¡¯ from the owl family? How can it mimic and act as a palm? Could it be some kind of tomb product I am unaware of¡­ Nevermind that for now, at least the tide is slightly turned, and there is still a chance.¡± At present, Mr. Lee, frightened and in pain, was crawling on the ceiling of the clinic room, even moving slightly backwards with a hint of wariness, showing no intention of attacking temporarily. Juliana, holding her severe waist injury, quickly came to Yi Chen¡¯s side and quietly informed him of the examination results of the target¡¯s lower body. However, Yi Chen did not respond, as he seemed to be still fascinated by the subtle changes in the palm structure, even the feeling from the axe strike just now was rather strange, Though it was merely a single left hand swinging the axe, it felt like the speed, power, smoothness, and precision were all superior to his previous dual-handed axe wielding. At that moment, The back of the black-furred hand suddenly opened a mouth and half an eye appeared. ¡°Hey! Your teammate is sharing important information with you.¡± ¡°I heard her¡­ just thinking, I¡¯m trying to see if I can directly filter out the Pathogen Core through the information Miss Anna shared. However, it still seems to be missing something. I¡¯ll need your help, little Grape.¡± ¡°You have five minutes. After that, the silver grape of that guy belongs to me.¡± After a brief exchange, Yi Chen also responded quietly to Miss Anna: ¡°Basic filtering is done, just a bit more to pinpoint the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯¡­ So, I still need to make a few more cuts in the opponent¡¯s flesh to carry out the final observation and filtering. Miss Anna, can you hold on?¡± No sooner had he spoken, Juliana threw two daggers towards a corner of the ceiling, one was dodged by Mr. Lee turning his head, the other grazed his shoulder, but the true purpose of these two daggers was not to attack but to obscure the vision and divide the attention. As the second dagger grazed his shoulder, Ignoring the pain in her abdomen, Juliana¡¯s nimble body leaped high, aligning herself with Mr. Lee at the same height. A horizontal Sword Slash! An arc of black curse energy lingered in the air. This Sword Slash forced Mr. Lee to leave the ceiling, falling back to the floor, his back slightly slashed open¡­ forcing him to spit out a few cursed dead rats. Just as Mr. Lee landed, From left and right, gun and sword, and axe, all struck at once, Not only that, Anna, who had just swung horizontally in the air, switched to holding the sword with both hands¡­ and delivered a descending air slash in succession. Due to the sudden change, unable to dodge in time, Mr. Lee barely stepped back half a step to avoid his head being split open. The falling Sword Blade, however, sliced open his chest and belly, spilling a heap of curse-blackened, bisected rat corpses from the gaps in his belly. Such a massive vertical wound was naturally not missed by Yi Chen. He widened his eyes, observing the movements of the rats inside, carrying out the final filtering. ¡°You bunch of bastards!¡± The intense pain from the open wounds and curse erosion made Mr. Lee instantly furious, The Moon Seal on his neck bloomed with dazzling silver light, That instant, Mr. Lee seemed a step closer to the moon, and the movements of the three young people in front of him slowed down in his eyes. He twisted his body. The giant rat tail behind him, carrying the twisted force of his entire body, lashed out fiercely, striking Juliana in the abdomen. She was already the lightest among them, and having just completed an aerial slash, her left foot hadn¡¯t even touched the ground, utterly incapable of any dodging or bracing. Crack! A crisp sound of bones breaking, at least four ribs were fractured, Juliana was sent flying directly by the tail swipe, slamming fiercely into the wall of the clinic, even denting it. Spurt! A mouthful of blood spurted out, her abdomen caved in, probably with even the kidneys completely shattered, and the rest of the organs severely impacted. If it wasn¡¯t for her immense willpower, she would have passed out long ago. At this head, The evolving Mr. Lee during the battle, his arm muscles were further strengthened, even growing scythe-shaped bony spikes. His arms swung towards the two men at extremely tricky angles, Clang! A loud noise as both Yi Chen and Edmund were knocked flying, The handgun with the Emblem insignia fell to the ground, along with a large amount of blood dripping onto the gun, Edmund wasn¡¯t so lucky, During the block, the sharp spike precisely slashed through his forearm, severing all the blood vessels and nerves inside¡­ His left hand had no sensation at all, and the brain¡¯s instructions could only make the fingers twitch slightly. However, Yi Chen came with good news, having filtered out the best answer from his smoking head. ¡°I found the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯¡­ Little Grape, it¡¯s time to go!¡± Without a moment¡¯s pause, although Mr. Li evolved once again during the combat, Yi Chen still felt no fear. He lowered his body, eyes locking on the target, and broke into a charge, bursting forth at even greater Speed than when sprinting on the Clinic rooftop or in the downtown sewers. Mr. Li watched the young man charging alone, ¡°Have you lost your mind? Just as well, I can finish this early.¡± He made a predatory lunge, and the living rat tail also hovered at his shoulder, ready to bite the target along with Mr. Li, such a stance had absolutely no openings. The distance between them lessened, just as Yi Chen was about to enter Mr. Li¡¯s range of attack. Suddenly, an eye opened in the bizarre black furred left hand of Yi Chen, meeting Mr. Li¡¯s gaze. An invisible and unknown Spiritual Shock reached directly into the brain. Mr. Li¡¯s instant distraction, confusion of consciousness, images from the past flashed through his mind, once curled up with rats in a corner, forsaking his dignity and personality, desperate to survive¡ªthese images flooded his mind. ¡°I must survive!¡± The bewildered look in his eyes instantly cleared, the episode lasting merely one second. This shocked Yi Chen immensely, as it was much less than the anticipated three seconds. However, in that one second, Yi Chen had already gotten close. He picked up the axe, and chopped towards the location where the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ was hidden¡ªat the intersection of the neck and collarbone. Just as it was about to cleave through¡­ ding! Mr. Li actually ducked his neck, cocked his head, and forcefully bit the axe with his teeth¡­ Although several teeth were severed, he ultimately jammed the axe completely. At the same time, the living rat tail perched on Mr. Li¡¯s shoulder also opened its mouth, biting down on Yi Chen¡¯s right side! Dozens of slender rat teeth completely penetrated Yi Chen¡¯s flesh. Had it not been for the protection provided by the gentleman¡¯s clothes, his body might have been directly crushed. Not only that, Mr. Li¡¯s arms also wrapped around from left and right, the inflated muscles and deployed claws, even with the gentleman¡¯s clothes, could easily tear Yi Chen¡¯s flesh completely open¡­ He even foresaw the claws piercing into the spine, reminiscent of a ¡®spatchcock¡¯ scene. At the critical moment, Buzz! Two swooshing sounds came by his ears, on the right, Blond Edmund held a sword with one hand. ¡°Gun Sword Reflect¡± Clang! He completely parried Mr. Li¡¯s right arm. On the left, though already at her Limit with severe injuries, Juliana actually came at an even faster Speed, almost turning into a black shadow. Two injections were still stuck in her neck, not yet pulled out. Summoning the last bit of strength in her body, she swung her sword! Swoosh! Mr. Li¡¯s enhanced left arm was directly severed by the sword! It fell beside him on the ground. At this moment, the crises from both sides were completely eliminated, Yi Chen stared intensely at Mr. Li before him, completely indifferent to what happened around him¡­ His only purpose was to ¡°eliminate the target.¡± The pain from the rat tail¡¯s biting, like a stimulant, excited Yi Chen¡¯s central nerves. ¡°Ah!!!¡± The veins on his neck and forehead burst out, his screams echoing through the entire clinic. Such intense emotion, the desire to kill the enemy, even influenced Little Grape¡­ The black fur on his left hand began to wriggle, further enhancing his strength. Crack~ the teeth originally biting the axe began to break inch by inch. With each shattered tooth, the teeth blocking the axe blade were successively ground to bits. Crack! Grinding the teeth, the moment he cut open Mr. Li¡¯s mouth, the Dog Jaw Axe also shattered simultaneously. He successfully opened a wound deep enough to glimpse the blood and flesh inside. Without any delay, Yi Chen reached into Mr. Li¡¯s throat with his left hand, pushing past layers of congested rats, and grabbed the shivering pathogen rat, at this moment, Mr. Li¡¯s fury, resentment, and ferocity vanished, replaced by a fear and panic, the rat tail that bit Yi Chen quickly loosened, and he even knelt down. ¡°Please, I just wanted to survive! By the way¡­ I can tell you all the secrets behind Twilight Clinic, even the information about ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯. Also, I have some useless silver coins hidden here, all yours!¡± His plea at the final moment only met with Yi Chen¡¯s cold smile, ¡°I think I understand why you¡¯re the only one who survived from Twilight Clinic¡­¡± The moment the words fell, right hand squeezed! As the pathogen rat¡¯s body burst, Mr. Li¡¯s pupils filled with blood instantly, and his body began to convulse wildly¡­ Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Departure from the Post Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Departure from the Post ¡°` At the moment he crushed the mouse, it also marked the end of Mr. Lee¡¯s life, Before Yi Chen¡¯s eyes, the name formed from Ancient Living Text writhing on the body¡ª[Jesmin Lee (Severe Patient)]turned from flesh-colored to grey. The mice that had been nestled within Mr. Lee¡¯s body also stopped breathing at the same moment, remaining in his body like rotting flesh, paradoxically more like human organs. The rat-like physical body also became lifeless, with its fur losing its shine, and the Moon Seal on the neck completely dimmed. Phew¡­ Yi Chen slumped to the ground, gasping for breath. Even the little grape had succumbed to transient weakness, dissolving its disguise on the left hand, half-buried in its original shoulder area. He unhesitatingly jabbed a syringe symbolizing vitality into his neck, attempting to activate the plant life within him, slowly mending the severe damage to his right side caused by the rat¡¯s tail bite. Although his right side was gravely injured, in comparison, Yi Chen¡¯s condition was indeed the best among the three of them. He immediately turned to his side, where Juliana had already fainted, breathing faintly. The life and death confrontation that took place in the basement of the Clinic, what Yi Chen found most unbelievable was not how strong Mr. Lee was nor how horrific and extraordinary his rat-like physical form was. It was his own teammate, Miss Juliana, who, in such a grievously wounded state, could still depend on sheer willpower to force her body to move, forcibly using a syringe to awaken the last shred of potential within her and severing Mr. Lee¡¯s arm at the crucial moment. ¡°Miss Anna, don¡¯t die!¡± Yi Chen no longer cared about his own injuries, his hands placed on Juliana¡¯s completely caved-in and flesh-corroded abdomen. New sprouts of vegetation drilled into it, trying to stabilize the injuries as much as possible. Edmund, too, with his ruined left hand, knelt on the other side of Anna. He took out a bottle of orange medicine with the Feather Emblem, not from the Organization but his own family, first spreading as much of it as possible on the wound before injecting the remaining medicine into her body through the roots. At the treated site, new flesh visibly grew and checked the encroachment of Pathology, ¡°With this, at least Anna¡¯s life can be saved¡­ The medicine will last a day, enough time for us to hurry back to Zion.¡± ¡°Edmund, your hand?¡± ¡°This is nothing,¡± he minimized, ¡°as long as I can return to Zion, I can ask the family doctor for repairs¡­ Well done, William! This mission was too risky, I won¡¯t allow the Gentleman Team to take such great risks again.¡± Yi Chen, however, shook his finger, ¡°No¡­ everything is going according to plan, without deviation! The cost had been calculated from the start; having no one dead is already the best outcome. Wait for me a moment, we¡¯ll leave shortly.¡± Now that Anna¡¯s situation was relatively stable, Yi Chen still had one important thing left undone. His palms were placed on Mr. Lee¡¯s rat body. He spread the plant¡¯s roots into the body as much as possible, branching them out to ensure a connection to all the dead mice brains, and of course, Mr. Lee¡¯s brain was the most important. He was extracting the marrow fluid. ¡ÚJesmin Lee, Severe Patient¡¯s brain, 8% damage,[High-Quality]. Consuming the marrow fluid can supplement brain power, invigorate the spirit, substitute sleep, and acquire relatively complete Memory Fragments There¡¯s a moderate chance to enhance the Intelligence Attribute¡Û An indescribable exhilaration swept through his brain, Yi Chen even tensed his body during the process, his dilated eyes flickering with rat-like shadows, his face breaking into an exaggeratedly ecstatic smile. The book Emblem on the back of his head also writhed non-stop due to the influx of the brain marrow. ¡ºCentral Tasting complete, brain nutrition replenished, [Intelligence] has been increased by 0.5. Now performing effective memory recombination and implantation¡­¡» Memory Fragments were sorted and reordered, ultimately integrated by the brain, yielding two significant pieces of Memory information. 1.[Jesmin Lee¡¯s Life Journey (focusing on Clinic life)] 2.[The dark secret behind Twilight Clinic] Among them, the first Memory Display presented Mr. Lee who had been the youngest apprentice at Twilight Clinic, and also the most timid. His cowardice was innate, but he was very intelligent and had his own Thoughts. Despite being looked down upon by Doctor Macaul, he would sometimes provide efficient assistance to the Clinic, such as stabilizing and swiftly transferring materials with rat swarms, destroying certain confidential materials that could not be made public. He had long discerned the dirty dealings behind the Twilight Clinic, guessing it was only a matter of time before trouble arose. Yet, he hadn¡¯t expected that the Organization would not catch up before the Clinic itself faced internal problems. When the ¡°False Moon Event¡± broke out and spread to the Clinic. ¡°` ¡°` He, due to controlling the rat swarm and simultaneously gazing at the moon with multiple eyes, suffered an inevitable infection, he did not choose to keep fighting but instead used his identity and familiarity with the Clinic to steal a bottle of ¡°Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡±. Utilizing the traits of the old rats, he hid in the Clinic¡¯s basement and narrowly escaped death. Facing the pathological transformation of his body, he injected the secret medicine in desperation. Little did he know that the ¡°Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡± not only failed to contain the pathological change but in fact caused it to increase exponentially. It deepened his compatibility with the Moon Seal, turning him into a severe patient who could even communicate with the ¡®moon¡¯ to a certain extent. Similarly, due to the mismatch between himself and the secret medicine, the severe side effects of the medicine caused him to stick to the basement, unable to leave. To avoid being discovered by the Gentleman Team, which was sent to retrieve the secret medicine, he tried to communicate with the moon and obtain its power, inadvertently creating a ¡°Same Space¡± that covered the range of the Clinic¡­ Of course, such actions also bound him more tightly, as breaking free required absorbing more Moon Transformation essence. Thus, there was his encounter with Yi Chen and Edmund. ¡°This guy¡­ didn¡¯t use his cleverness and caution in the right place, but was always running away, his cowardice etched in his heart hastening his accelerated death. However, the real problem still lies with the Clinic.¡± Yi Chen did not immediately inform Edmund about the secrets of the Clinic. He took out the burlap bag he had prepared in advance and packed Mr. Lee¡¯s body in a notably professional manner. This relatively intact patient¡¯s body, if it could be taken back to Zion, might yield a higher quality Pathological Crystal. Yi Chen dragged the massive rat-like corpse, Edmund carried Anna on his back, they extinguished the flames at the ward¡¯s door and stepped out. Due to Mr. Lee¡¯s death, all threats in the underground area had been eliminated¡­ But the theater owner also disappeared, potentially returning to the surface of the Clinic. Taking the elevator slowly upwards, Yi Chen and Edmund exchanged glances, their facial muscles struggling to form smiles. At least it¡¯s all over, and everyone is more or less alive. Edmund said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Lee is dead, and the moon above will inevitably fade away¡­ once we get up and meet with Dagbert, just one sleep will take us back to the Original World.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Click! When the elevator arrived, a figure like a fortress blocked their way, Dagbert, wielding a heavy sword, stood guard at the elevator entrance like a war god, the Clinic¡¯s hall littered with the severed limbs of Non-Normality patients. Similarly, his body was full of wounds; his strength was already spent, relying solely on his willpower to wait here for his teammates¡¯ arrival. ¡°Is everything¡­ done below?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With the affirmative response, Dagbert¡¯s massive body collapsed to the floor, after a brief inspection and infection treatment, no serious injuries were found, it was mostly the coma induced by fatigue. However, it was at this moment that Yi Chen felt a slight discordance, he stepped on the remnants and severed limbs of the Non-Normality patients, feeling the residual warmth within, and walked towards the entrance of the Clinic. Like a living creature, the strong moonlight instantly fell upon him, feeling as though a pale hand was touching his skin. The moon hanging in the night sky not only did not disappear but became rounder and larger, more like a white organic life form. At the same time, Clap~ clap~ clap! Outside the Clinic in the forested hill, a round of applause was heard, along with a voice Yi Chen had heard in the sewer. ¡ìGood-Job¡ì Accompanied by the approaching clapping, a silver-haired youth slowly emerged on the hillside. ¡°` Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 72 Moon Scar Chapter 73: Chapter 72 Moon Scar ¡°` 1. With silver hair in a natural tousled style, he looked like a handsome youth in his twenties, his facial structure, and features bearing a resemblance to Timothee Chalamet. 2. His left eye, the color of the night sky, held the silvery crescent of a waning moon, while his right eye was covered with a bandage due to an injury or some other reason. 3. All his physical traits were identical to those of a human, dressed in a fairly common white patient¡¯s gown, with bare feet stepping onto the hillside. 4. A ¡®female doctor¡¯ who had been seen in the clinic was walking by the young man¡¯s side, with an IV bottle connected to the back of his right hand. 5. From the front, everything seemed normal, but clinging to the youth¡¯s back was a humanoid body, with only half a torso, one arm, and a head visible outside, which belonged to the theater owner, Elton John. As the youth ascended to the hilltop, the moon hanging in the night sky drew closer, becoming larger and more round¡­ like a spotlight drawing closer, focusing on the clinic¡¯s front yard. He wore a subtle smile throughout, his eyes shining with admiration for Yi Chen. In contrast, upon seeing the young man, the little grape who had fallen asleep from exhaustion suddenly opened her eyes, almost as if her fur stood on end. ¡°William¡­ don¡¯t think about resisting next, I¡¯ll try to create an opportunity for you to escape. If you find there¡¯s no chance to escape, choose to surrender immediately. Surviving is more important than anything at times like this, even if like that mouse, it is meaningful as long as you stay alive.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Yi Chen locked eyes with the mysterious youth, other things began to emerge in his field of vision. Through the cognition of Ancient Living Text, wriggling maggot-like lines intertwine above the youth¡¯s head, eventually forming the important hallmark of an Open Source patient. A long brass frame, adorned with the engraving of a crescent moon on one end, hovered above his head, filled with a liquid essence that shone with the glow of the moon. Titles and names also clung to the frame ¡ìMoon Scar ¨C Lorrian¡ì With the title revealed, there was no room for doubt, this person was the one who triggered the ¡°False Moon¡± event, turning Viner City and the Twilight Clinic into ruins, and achieving the status of an Open Source special patient¡­ a formidable entity that the current Yi Chen simply couldn¡¯t confront. From the current situation, it was very likely that this person had been observing everything since the very first day the group arrived at Viner City. At this moment, a multitude of doubts were conceived in his mind. ¡°Why did the organization falsely report the death of ¡®Moon Scar¡¯? Why expose us to such danger that far exceeds reason and is nearly impossible to survive? Or is it possible that ¡®Moon Scar¡¯ was indeed killed in some sense, and what appears here is merely his remaining clone or duplicate? Why does he still linger in Viner City, doesn¡¯t he fear exposure and being hunted down by the organization again? Or does he have reasons to stay, reasons that relate to his ¡®death¡¯ during the False Moon event?¡± As Yi Chen¡¯s mind underwent a cognitive storm, trying to find a breakthrough in the information, Edmund also sensed something was off and was about to step out of the clinic. With a gentle wave of the youth¡¯s hand, the living moon seemed to be under his control, spilling its light onto Edmund, Juliana, and Dagbert, their bodies instantly disintegrating into particles and vanishing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve just sent them away from here, now is our time to talk.¡± As he spoke, Moon Scar formally stepped into the clinic¡¯s front yard. ¡°Mr. William, I have revealed myself for 1 minute and 41 seconds. Have you found answers to the doubts and speculations in your mind? Tell me about them.¡± Thanks to the brain marrow absorbed from Mr. Li before, Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts were exceptionally active, and he indeed had reached effective analytical conclusions. ¡°The intelligence provided by the organization wouldn¡¯t be fake; you were indeed killed during the ¡®False Moon¡¯ event. However, it was one of the ¡®two bodies¡¯ that was killed, and it¡¯s even possible that it was the main body that was slain. According to the partial information given by the organization, when the False Moon event unfolded, there were two moons hanging in the sky above Viner City, but now there is only one¡­ This also indirectly proves that you have indeed lost one important body. The reason you have stayed here all along, on one hand, is due to absolute confidence in your concealment abilities. On the other hand, you need time to recuperate and recover, while also selecting a qualified replacement from the remaining moon citizens to recover your ¡®lost body¡¯ and return to your original Double Moon Form.¡± ¡°` In the depths of the Clinic, ¡°Mr. Li, who can communicate with the Moon and even establish a ¡®Same Space¡¯, should be your best candidate,¡± Clap clap clap! Yi Chen¡¯s deductions once again won applause. ¡°You¡¯re really amazing~ To have deduced this much in less than four days since you¡¯ve been here. However, there are still some mistakes and inadequacies in your conclusions; let me help you complete the whole story.¡± Moon Scar, like a frail patient who needed to get some air, slowly moved her body with the help of a female doctor, and while she wandered under the moonlight, she began to tell her story. ¡°My special treatment at the Twilight Clinic led my consciousness to ¡®split in two¡¯. As my escape progressed and my condition worsened, the split consciousness slowly morphed into physical entities, yet they were still one whole being together. I must say Doctor Macaul¡¯s abilities are indeed strong, when he killed my ¡®Fake Moon Body¡¯, I took the opportunity to fake my death and hide in the deep recesses of the city. After all, the purpose had been achieved, such a major disturbance was bound to make your human organizations discover the secrets behind the Clinic; I believe the grievously injured Doctor Macaul will spend a sorrowful and desperate twilight of his life, if he even has a twilight. Just as you surmised, I was seriously injured and needed a long period of quiet recuperation. At the same time, I took the opportunity to observe those little survivors, to see if they had the potential to become my ¡®other half¡¯. Little Li was indeed not bad, he was my original choice indeed. However, that waste could not create ¡®Monthly Space¡¯; everything here is my masterpiece, I simply made Little Li believe he created it himself. The doctors and nurses around here are all the fruits of my meticulous design, but they are not yet completely finished.¡± As he said this, he reached out to touch the female doctor¡¯s metal rod, then ran his finger along the IV tubing, making the two long legs at the bottom tremble non-stop. ¡°With your arrival, I have seen more and more suitable options. Mr. John from the Theater, although just a Moon citizen, has a good ¡®affinity¡¯ with me. However, neither Mr. John nor Little Li can compare to another [Candidate]¡­ An excellent one, one I am willing to receive personally, the perfect candidate.¡± At this point, Moon Scar had just come to Yi Chen¡¯s front, extending his right hand that was hooked up to an IV. ¡°Mr. William, I can smell a kindred scent on you, a thick scent of one who has endured extreme pain and felt the twilight of life. Come! Join me, step onto the Moon. I will show you the true nature of the world, and together we¡¯ll explore the deeper mysteries.¡± As he faced Moon Scar¡¯s impassioned speech, Yi Chen could clearly feel that if he showed any resistance or said anything meant to stall for time, he would be killed instantly. To abandon human nature, to live in a cowardly way? Or to hold fast to one¡¯s principles, resolutely facing death? Yi Chen took a deep breath, ¡°I¡­ refuse.¡± As soon as he finished speaking. Crack! A harsh shattering noise came from the sky. The full moon overhead fractured like a shattered mirror, and a gentleman¡¯s cane with a top-hat shaped handle shot through the broken Moon, landing between the two and forming a semi-transparent black divide. Immediately after, two figures, one black and one white, stepped into this Same Space successively. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 73 Open Source Patient Chapter 74: Chapter 73 Open Source Patient Whoosh~ A familiar owl landed on Yi Chen¡¯s left shoulder, and the touch of a palm on his right shoulder was even more familiar. ¡°Leave the following matters to Mr. Aiji and me¡­¡± ¡°Professor Qian Bosen!¡± Although Yi Chen was excited, he had already guessed as much in his heart. Qian Bosen had no intention of exchanging pleasantries, He was equally astonished that an event with an ¡®infinitesimal¡¯ likelihood had actually occurred. When Zion¡¯s backup forces arrived at the scene of the False Moon incident, Doctor Macaul had completed the annihilation of Moon Scar, even transporting the body back to Zion. However, an autopsy later revealed that this seemingly intact body was missing something. Although the organization subsequently dispatched a cleanup team to conduct a carpet-like search of Viner City, they found no trace of suspicion. Unexpectedly, Moon Scar was indeed alive, and had been lured out by Yi Chen. ¡­ Though Qian Bosen had experience fighting Open Source patients, The Moon Scar before him was the most unique Open Source patient he had ever seen, an illness related to the moon, a high-rank, rare special disease. He would spare no effort, striving to achieve the kill. His arms were suspended in front of him, palms open The ten fingers seemed each to have their own consciousness, drawing a pure white magic array in midair. 1. The main ring and the four sub-rings, interconnected with bridges, along with irregular stars, formed the body of a dynamic magic array that underwent constant change, 2. The external patterns of the different rings and the connecting forms used for bridging had subtle differences, serving to regulate, amplify, and stabilize the magic, 3. The main ring¡¯s core pattern represented ¡°Wind,¡± while the sub-rings¡¯ cores included metal, blade, gravity, and eye. Such a complex dynamic magic array was constructed in two seconds. A push from the palm at the center of the array, [Secret Technique Activation] Hundreds of metallic, thick, and sharp Wind Blades, unfettered by the ally¡¯s Barrier, sliced directly towards Moon Trace Lorrian across from him. ¡°A Magic Gentleman?¡± The silver-haired young man slowly lifted his idle left arm. Hum! A burst of silver light shimmered. A flawless, triangular Moonlight Shield hovered in front of him, The Wind Blades that struck the shield either ricocheted or were swallowed up. Moon Scar also withstood the reaction force, his sickly body forced to retreat step by step. Just as he was about to block all the Wind Blades, a sense of unease struck him. A sense of an even more powerful threat timed between the cuts of the Wind Blades and his line of sight¡¯s blind spot. A fist shrouded in black miasma was already nearing his back. ¡°Oh? Another strong one?¡± Moon Scar abandoned the defense against the remaining Wind Blades, Spun around, And with his right arm, which was hooked up to an IV, he held the ¡®Doctor¡¯ in his arms, protecting her from harm. With his free left hand, he tried to block the incoming black fist, The result¡­ Whoosh, whoosh~ Silver blood splattered. More than twenty steel-like Wind Blades pierced through the hospital gown and into Moon Scar¡¯s back, even penetrating from the front! The left arm that attempted to block the fist was completely shattered, Only fragments of the torn gown and flesh remained at the shoulder. Moon Scar also spat out a mouthful of silver blood, murmuring softly, ¡°Truly strong¡­¡± However, Professor Qian Bosen was already standing behind him, His white beard fluttered upwards, the aura of his entire being completely transformed, The air within a hundred meters came to a standstill. Qian Bosen reached out to grab the dynamic magic array he had just constructed. The magic lines that composed the array astonishingly morphed into a giant magic sword wrapped in a hurricane, grasped in his hands. Even larger than Dagbert¡¯s giant sword by a size. Not giving Moon Scar a moment to breathe, He brought down the sword with both hands, The raging hurricane contained within the giant sword tore Moon Scar and the Doctor in his arms to shreds. The Twilight Clinic and the hill it stood upon took the full brunt of the hurricane¡¯s fury, with numerous trees near the peak severed in half, and a mass of leaves scattered by the wind. When everything had calmed down, Qian Bosen¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t looking good, because the sensation from the recent slashing strike felt off, as if it was a slice not through flesh, but rather like cutting into the surface of hardened glass. Not long after. A voice came from the rooftop of the Twilight Clinic, Moon Scar was standing perfectly unharmed at the edge, his right hand still holding onto the ¡®body frame¡¯ of the severed female doctor, ensuring the infusion continued. Approximately 1/10 of the moonlight liquid inside the brass frame had been depleted. ¡°As expected, a talent like you, William, must be highly valued by the humans. To think that there have been two beings on par with Doctor Macaul secretly observing me all this time, things really got dangerous just now. We will meet again in the future¡­ The-Moon-is-watching-you.¡± As his words fell, Moon Scar¡¯s physical form flickered like tiny stars, dispersing into the night sky. The barrier of the Same Space also shattered completely, and everyone was returned to the abandoned clinic¡¯s front courtyard. The supervisor ¨C Aiji Flores, with his gentleman¡¯s cane pulled out, top hat tilted, and outfit adjusted, looked towards the location of the rooftop, his right hand still tinged with traces of black miasma. ¡°White Eagle, aren¡¯t we going after him?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to chase? Didn¡¯t you feel that weird sensation just now? This guy is probably even more formidable than during the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯, and this type of ¡®Moon Illness¡¯ is something we¡¯ve never encountered before. The information Doctor Macaul brought back is quite one-sided; we still don¡¯t know how to break through it. Besides, our primary mission was to ensure the safety of these newcomers.¡± ¡°Alright~ I don¡¯t want to take that risk anyway.¡± The supervisor appeared indifferent and then shifted his gaze to Yi Chen, who looked completely calm. ¡°Kid, you did a terrific job! Faced with Open Source patients, you remained so composed.¡± Yi Chen was about to thank the supervisor for his assistance, but Qian Bosen, with a look full of anger, said, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? How could you assign them such a task¡­ It almost led to irreparable consequences.¡± The supervisor quickly waved his hands, even making a surrender gesture, ¡°Didn¡¯t we stop it successfully? And these youngsters have gained a lot from it too.¡± Qian Bosen didn¡¯t bother arguing with the supervisor anymore, instead, he drew another Array and released nearly a hundred Magic Owls to meticulously scout the mountainous area, ensuring that Moon Scar had indeed left. ¡°William, you can get down the mountain by yourself, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, please look after Juliana.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ hurry and come down with us, let¡¯s return to Zion at full speed.¡± ¡­ In the carriage, Qian Bosen began checking the physical conditions of everyone individually. When he got to Juliana, his face showed difficulty in assessing whether she could be completely cured, and he couldn¡¯t even be sure if her life could be saved. The cut on Edmund¡¯s arm was much worse than it appeared. Without prompt treatment, the entire arm might need to be amputated, potentially leaving aftereffects that could affect his future ability to handle firearms. ¡°Under the circumstances where the mission itself became uncontrollable, the fact that the whole team survived and completed the mission is enough to speak for your squad¡¯s overall level. Once this mission is reported, the organization¡¯s attention will inevitably be on each one of you. I will propose top-level treatment to ensure, as much as possible, that none of you will suffer from aftereffects.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Edmund said softly, his gaze lingering on the unconscious Juliana. It was then that Supervisor Aiji suddenly spoke, ¡°Before we return to Zion and submit the mission¡­ there is something I want to confirm in advance. When you joined forces and killed the Pathological Gentleman ¨C Jesmin Lee, in the underground area, did you get to know any covert information about the Twilight Clinic from him?¡± Yi Chen nodded slightly, without saying much more. The supervisor showed a satisfied expression as if that was the real purpose of the mission. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the submission of this mission will have to be done using a special, non-public mode, which might be delayed for a few days. Wait for our notification. After we get back to Zion, I will also act as a guarantor to ensure you get the best treatment.¡± At that moment, Yi Chen, with hands clasped in front, head bowed down, suddenly raised a question. ¡°I have a question. How is Doctor Macaul now? I¡¯m asking about the real situation, not what is written for everyone to see.¡± The supervisor could understand Yi Chen¡¯s feelings at that moment, he leaned over, drew close to his ear, and whispered, ¡°Brain preserved, physical body executed. After all, as a doctor, what¡¯s in his brain is still quite valuable¡­ Killing him outright would be letting that scum off too easily.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With that answer, Yi Chen exhaled in relief and leaned his head back against the carriage to rest his eyes. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 74 Hippocrates Hospital Chapter 75: Chapter 74 Hippocrates Hospital Under the joint arrangement of Professor Qian Bosen and Director Aiji, everyone was placed in Zion¡¯s premier clinic, which is also a critical location for evaluating physician identities. [Revelation Clinic] Also known as the Major Hospital of Hippocrates Similar to the Omphalo-Centric Academy, it is equipped with a special isolation belt¡ªa unique wall structure¡ªthat completely separates the hospital from the street areas. Inside, it includes the Inpatient Department, the Revelation Building, and the Pathogen Center. [Inpatient Department] A ¡®line-shaped¡¯ terraced building with white brick and red roofs, four-sided roofs, located behind the hospital. It mainly caters to gentlemen who have completed difficult tasks and contributed to the organization; anyone approved by the organization to be admitted can enjoy free treatment. As long as the gentlemen brought in are not utterly dead or deeply pathological (£¾80% of body lesion), they can generally leave alive. [Revelation Building] A special building that can be seen upon entering the hospital gates, its structure resembles an arena. Gentlemen who wish to apply for a ¡°Doctor Certificate¡± will undergo a competency review here. Some well-reputed senior doctors also receive invitations from the organization frequently to serve as examiners here, ensuring the selection quality of the organization¡¯s core members. [Pathogen Center] A huge, sealed white cube building, right next to the Revelation Building. Built from expensive and special insulating materials, its sealability even surpasses that of the academy¡¯s Viersman Teaching Building by several levels. Some newly certified doctors may even be asked to become security guards here, responsible for security patrols for a period. The reason is simple, Since the establishment of the organization, all collected information on pathological traits, various types of illnesses, and the pathologic research, significant documents, and reports conducted by gentleman doctors have been stored here in the form of books. It can be considered a special library with the theme of [Disease]. When a new pathological symptom is discovered in the outside world, it will be recorded here in no time. If one¡¯s research on pathology is included here, it will be a great honor. ¡­ Inpatient Department Yi Chen, with plant-like traits and moderate injuries, was arranged to stay in an ordinary ward by himself. After confirming he carried no pathogens and was in good condition, the doctor performed ¡°Left Hand Reconstructive Surgery¡± on him. A healing-type doctor wearing a white mask came to the ward, took off his gloves, with a special blood seal etched onto the back of his hand. As the palm made contact with the severed part of the left wrist, Strands of blood and flesh immediately began to stretch out, under the doctor¡¯s direction, intertwining with each other, constructing bones, muscle tissue, blood vessels, and so forth¡­ In just five minutes, a brand new left hand was formed. Observing the calluses formed from grave-digging, and the fixed arrangement of palm lines, Yi Chen was certain that this newly formed hand was his all-too-familiar ¡®old buddy¡¯. He had just uttered a word of thanks when the doctor had already left the ward. Although his left hand was completely restored without any side effects, Because ¡°Moon Transformation Disease¡± falls into a rare category of new diseases, and Yi Chen had direct contact with the main body of the pathogen ¨C Moon Scar, he still needed to stay in the hospital for a whole week. He had to undergo different physical and mental examinations every day. Perhaps due to the profoundness of the task in the preceding days, whenever he encountered night rounds, he would hallucinate a female doctor with a metal stand for an infusion, or a nurse wrapped in bandages entering the ward to perform a special check on him. On the fourth day of his hospital stay, Yi Chen received a notice for ward adjustment. He, Dagbert, and Edmund were moved to the same room. The actual situation turned out to be somewhat worse than expected. Dagbert was in fair condition, unlikely to have any residual effects, but he would be unable to take on tasks for at least two months. Edmund appeared to be quite weak, Due to the forced injection of the ¡°Rat Plague Transformant¡± into his carotid artery, although the serum had prematurely killed the pathogen, the impurities remaining in the body could not be expelled through metabolism and still required special ¡°Bloodletting Therapy¡±. These past few days, he had essentially been continuously undergoing bloodletting, followed by rapid blood replenishment through nutrition and medication, which caused him to lose weight significantly. Moreover, Edmund¡¯s left arm, injured in the final battle, was in a terrible state. The arm wound opened by Mr. Li had been invaded by ¡®Rat Hair¡¯, and the few hours of delay had allowed these rat hairs to root themselves onto the bone surface. Even scraping the bone couldn¡¯t completely remove them. The only way was to amputate the entire arm and reconstruct it, as Yi Chen had done. However, Reconstructing an entire arm is a different matter than just a hand, And Edmund, who did not have plant-like pathological traits like Yi Chen, found the externally reconstructed arm quite alien to him, requiring a long time to adapt to and practice with. There was a certain probability of restoring it to its original condition, but also a risk of lifelong impairment. For Edmund, who alternated between using firearms and swords in combat, this was undoubtedly devastating news, potentially ruining his future prospects. But, Upon reuniting with his two teammates, he showed no signs of negativity, and he was utterly confident in his completely unfamiliar and somewhat stiff new left arm. He took pride in having survived such a difficult mission and in killing the pathological gentleman. If Edmund had to choose again, he would still make the same decision. The only thing that unsettled him was Juliana¡¯s condition. The hospital kept Juliana¡¯s treatment details completely confidential, refusing to reveal any information. On the seventh day of admission, The hospital finally brought news. Juliana was out of critical condition, but still needed to stay in the hospital for ongoing treatment and observation, There was a high probability of her having lasting side effects, preventing her from engaging in ¡®disease-removal¡¯ gentleman work in the future. When Edmund heard this news, He nearly went the whole night without sleep, for the first time showing emotional instability in front of his teammates. Yi Chen did not express much emotion, Lying in the hospital bed, he was simply pondering one thing: if he could become strong enough, then he might prevent such incidents in the future. Even if they did occur, he could use the healing traits of plants to provide immediate physical repair and save his teammates from danger. [One month] went by. In front of the first floor of the Inpatient Department, The four people completing discharge procedures walked out one after another. Edmund¡¯s left arm had no fixtures attached and he exhibited no discomfort while performing some basic actions. He had returned to his former cheery self, pushing Juliana¡¯s wheelchair and leading the way. Juliana had already accepted her physical condition, never feeling sad or regretful. Under those circumstances, she believed that everyone coming back alive was already the best outcome. She still needed to undergo more than half a year of convalescence and regular check-ups. Continuing to recover this way, Even if she couldn¡¯t reach her former condition, perhaps she could still participate in some more basic disease-removal tasks¡­ If she could break through the Limit Barrier, maybe she could fully recover. As the four of them cheerfully walked out of the front door of the Hippocrates Hospital, Agent Aiji, wearing his hat askew, was sitting in an exquisite carriage, having waited for a long time. ¡°Get in. The task settlement for the ¡®Secret Medicine Recovery¡¯ will take place in a special non-public format, and there will be other high-ranking members of the organization present, besides myself,¡± ¡°At that time, they will ask detailed questions about your mission experience, so be prepared.¡± Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 75 Task Meeting Chapter 76: Chapter 75 Task Meeting During the drive to Gentleman Hall, the four people sitting in the carriage remained silent. Director Aiji reminded them kindly: ¡°Because the completion level of your task was very high, and you successfully touched on the hidden information behind it, we will have a closed-door conversation in the upper meeting room of Gentleman Hall, to put a perfect full stop to this mission. Don¡¯t be nervous, I can reveal a little something to you¡­ Your performance in the mission has been highly valued, and the ultimate reward will far exceed the preset expectations. The experience from this task will also be significantly included in your files, so there is no need to appear too tense, just answer whatever they ask you. Feel free to relay all the intelligence you¡¯ve gathered in as much detail as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen nodded, the reason he had been silent throughout the journey was that he was organizing the fragmented memories he had obtained a month before through ¡°Central Tasting¡± from Mr. Li¡¯s brain, as well as his own investigation, preparing his statement in advance. He was now essentially ready. ¡°Director Aiji, how is the corpse I brought back?¡± The corpse Yi Chen referred to was that of [Pathological Gentleman-Mr. Li], who had been placed under the Director¡¯s care for processing upon returning to the city. ¡°Congratulations! Since the Pathological Core was not seriously damaged and the body was kept relatively intact, after the calcination process in the incinerator, Mr. Li¡¯s body has been transformed into a high-quality ¡®Pathological Crystal¡¯, which will be granted along with the mission reward. You can distribute it within the team afterwards.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Upon the carriage¡¯s arrival, the Director also requested everyone to wear masks, to increase concealment. [Gentleman Hall-Upper Level] This place is generally responsible for receiving powerful gentlemen like Professor Qian Bosen to discuss high-stakes exploration tasks, divided into six large conference rooms. The group was led to a special room marked with a red stripe, indicating a completely closed meeting. Four people were already sitting at the oval-shaped long table inside the room, including two Gentleman Hall Directors like Director Aiji, Professor Qian Bosen associated with the mission, and [Doctor]. ¡°This is!¡± Yi Chen immediately recognized the Doctor sitting at seat C of the conference table as the one he had encountered by chance in Zion City, when he first arrived, between the arch bridges on the street, wearing the beak mask that symbolized an old-era doctor, dressed in a white coat that symbolized modern medicine, at that time, the two had also had a brief conversation. Because of the presence of this Doctor, the atmosphere of the entire conference room was subdued by him. Yi Chen estimated, this was the ¡®upper level¡¯ attention Director Aiji mentioned, and this Doctor¡¯s status and strength were definitely higher than that of Doctor Macaul from Twilight Clinic. Director Aiji also began introducing the origins of this Doctor, ¡°This is the Vice-Director of Hippocrates Hospital and one of the heads of the Secret Medicine Review Department ¨C [Andre Vissari]. Due to the task involving the issuance of a secret medicine reward, the participation of a Secret Medicine Review Department member is needed. Upon learning about this matter, Mr. Vissari decided to attend the meeting himself.¡± From beneath the bird mask, the same eerie and even somewhat sticky voice permeated: ¡°I heard there are new gentlemen who, when handling the aftermath of the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯, killed a Pathological Gentleman hidden in the Same Space outright. Despite encountering an Open Source patient, they ensured the survival of the entire team, so out of personal interest, I decided to come and see. Proceed with the normal procedure of the meeting, and if I have any comments, I will directly state them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the issuer, associate, and helper of the mission, Director Aiji naturally was in charge of the meeting. He first sent a document to the reviewers, which included the personal information of the four members of the squad, their ratings, and the form for the [Secret Medicine Recovery] task, as well as the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ report they had browsed before accepting the mission. ¡°This is all the intelligence they knew before executing the task, with the information given out by Gentleman Hall controlled to be strictly [Surface].¡± Dr. Vissari nodded his head, indicating his satisfaction with such a task arrangement. ¡°If there are no problems, let them elaborate on the detailed process of the task execution.¡± Director Aiji promptly moved the meeting to the next stage, with the seated reviewers shifting their gazes to the four young people. Generally speaking, it is the captain who articulates the mission process, but Edmund glanced at Yi Chen and handed over all the rights to him. Yi Chen nodded in acceptance, his gaze directed firmly ahead, his pupils clear of any impurity. In a refined and succinct manner, he completed the entire process explanation within fifteen minutes, including the judgment at each key node, the decisions made, and the basis for making those decisions. At this point, Doctor Visari¡¯s eyes, from behind his metal frames, revealed a rare look of appreciation and offered an evaluation. ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve handled every detail of the mission nearly perfectly. To kill a Severe Patient with Gentleman traits at the newcomer stage, such a standard does not require my evaluation. However, I have a question. Given that you had obtained the ¡°Moon Skin¡± as a bargaining chip, you completed the trade with Mr. Li and confirmed the effectiveness of the Antidote. Moreover, you had roughly deduced that ¡®Mr. Li¡¯ was cautious and timid, didn¡¯t want any trouble and intended to let you leave, why then did you choose to take the risk of a do-or-die battle?¡± Captain Edmund proactively responded: ¡°The gentlemanly ideals that I have learned from childhood make it impossible for me to ignore such a Fallen¡­ If I cannot eliminate him, and choose subjective evasion, I will not qualify to bear the name of a Gentleman. Such avoidance would also brand my heart, hindering my growth in the future.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Doctor Visari nodded, yet it seemed he was still looking for a different kind of answer. His gaze slowly shifted to Yi Chen, ¡°And you? As the main communicator with the Patient, why did you choose to engage in a fight to the death?¡± Yi Chen said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°My thoughts probably weren¡¯t as orthodox as Edmund¡¯s, and I didn¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, just speak your true thoughts.¡± ¡°In fact, at that time, I wasn¡¯t concerned about whether or not I was being gentlemanly, Based on the situation then, Mr. Li indeed intended to let us go, but the probability of this ¡®intention¡¯ was not 100%, it should be around 50-60%. Mr. Li might have kept us trapped in the Same Space after we left the underground Clinic, waiting to absorb the Moon Skin and gain more Power and Freedom, before killing us or transforming us into Pathological slaves. As long as it¡¯s not 100%, I couldn¡¯t risk it. Once we left Mr. Li¡¯s Clinic, fighting him again would mean certain death for us.¡± Besides, I personally wanted to kill the guy, to hone my skills by slaying the strong, to strengthen my body, improve my Thought, and if lucky, to obtain the complete corpse of a Severe Patient. Moreover, killing Mr. Li would greatly increase the mission¡¯s Reward. After all, I still owe Edmund quite a bit of money, and I hope to settle it all at once.¡± Doctor Visari narrowed his eyes slightly and made an evaluation, ¡°Objective analysis and an instinctive desire for killing, with a certain inclination toward personal gain¡­ I have another question, did you enjoy that final battle which pushed you to your Limit and faced you with Death?¡± ¡°Yes, I personally quite enjoy that feeling.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Doctor Visari fell silent and gestured with his hand for the meeting to continue. Aiji, the supervisor, paused briefly before looking at the four members of the squad. ¡°As you experienced during the mission, ¡°Secret Medicine Recovery,¡± this type of follow-up mission, is deliberately crafted by the Organization to further identify newcomers of sufficient strength and high overall standard as Gentlemen. On the ¡°Surface¡± the task was to recover ¡®forgotten secret medicine¡¯, Of course, the recovery team sent by the Organization wouldn¡¯t possibly commit such a low-level mistake, and the missing vial of secret medicine was known from the beginning. On the ¡°Inside,¡± it was to have you go to the Clinic using the forgotten secret medicine as the starting point to investigate the truth behind the scenes. Thereby assessing whether you have the important potential trait for ¡®investigating¡¯. Then, depending on the Depth at which you touch upon the nature of the truth, it is determined how much of this ¡°potential¡± you have and whether it is worth cultivating heavily by the Organization. Therefore, We also need a piece of information to assess the true Depth you have reached in this incident. Please elaborate on your investigation results regarding the ¡°Twilight Clinic.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this,¡± Yi Chen had already organized the truth within his brain and embellished it with literary touches. As he began to articulate, The Emblem at the back of his head began to wriggle. A deeply dark and gentlemanliness-defying truth was about to be officially unveiled. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Reward Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Reward Yi Chen laid out all the information gleaned within his brain, presenting it like pages from a book to his retinas, and began his statement: ¡°The core ingredient used by the Twilight Clinic to make ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯ is a special secretion produced in the brains of patients under extreme physical and mental torture, using all kinds of cruel and inhumane torture devices. In the clinic, this substance is known as ¡®Illness Death Factor¡¯. Not every patient can regularly and quantitatively produce ¡®Illness Death Factor¡¯, and even if they can produce it, the yield is not high. It often takes 2 to 3 patients, tortured continuously for a month, to produce the ingredients needed for one bottle of secret medicine. Since the clinic is required to deliver a sufficient quantity of secret medicine to the organization every quarter and ensure its quality, such stringent demands indirectly led to the subsequent pathological development of the Twilight Clinic.¡± Surprisingly, Yi Chen¡¯s initial remarks pointed some of the blame at the organization, which made the expressions on the faces of the supervisors somewhat unsightly; however, Doctor Visari did not react, instead finding even more interest in what was to come. ¡°The scale of the Twilight Clinic is quite average; although I am not clear on its scale of operation, preliminary estimates suggest it is a medium-small, or even just a small-sized clinic. Their internal staff is not numerous, and the number of patients hunted down by apprentices is far from sufficient. In order to ensure the normal operation of the clinic and to continue receiving support from the organization, to gradually expand and strengthen the clinic¡­ Doctor Macaul made a decision that breached not only the integrity of a gentleman but also the very foundations of human nature. ¡®Artificial Patients¡¯ Every month, they conduct random surveys among the citizens, targeting unregistered homeless people, refugees, criminals sentenced to more than three months, critically ill patients in hospitals, and some civilians who wish to leave Viner City and relocate to other places, all became direct targets of the clinic. These humans were brought to the underground area of the Secret Medicine Tower, where they were directly injected with pathogens collected from patients, and appropriately induced to undergo pathological changes. When this group of humans survived and successfully transformed into patients, they would then collect ¡®Illness Death Factor¡¯ from them. With the help of artificial patients, the production of ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯ drastically increased, and the organization even raised the clinic¡¯s funding and provided additional apprentice slots. However, before such evil and despicable acts were exposed, problems had already arisen within the clinic. A young man named Lorrian, who was born with albinism and basal-cell carcinoma, resulting in ulceration and black necrotic scabs on his skin, was abandoned by the local hospital. He was soon taken to the clinic and injected with the pathogen. However, the pathogen that flowed into the young man¡¯s body combined with his own illness, fundamentally transforming the pathogenicity¡­ His white hair was also tinged with a layer of silver, and his eyes similarly turned silver. This was the first case of ¡®Silverized Patient¡¯ recorded by the clinic and marked the onset of Moon Transformation Disease. As the physical defects caused by albinism vanished, the young Lorrian quickly became a patient, or more precisely, he became ¡®Patient Zero¡¯ who retained absolute self-awareness and was unaffected by the pathological change. However, the clinic¡¯s approach remained unchanged, subjecting Lorrian to inhumane torture and collecting raw materials. The ¡®Illness Death Factor¡¯ produced by Lorrian was more than three times that of an ordinary patient and could be reused in a cycle. As long as he was given enough time and food supplements to recover, raw material extraction could resume. Gradually, Lorrian grew further in the process of such torment, combining on a deeper level with the pathogen. Until one day he successfully escaped the clinic, using his special pathological traits to conceal himself in the city and lay low to continue growing. Until he metamorphosed into an ¡®Open Source Patient¡¯, mastering the rare and unusual pathological attribute- ¡®Moon¡¯. In the end, the ¡®False Moon Incident¡¯ he orchestrated erupted in Viner City, turning the whole city into ruins. According to the current intelligence, Moon Scar ¨C Lorrian was of a ¡®Dizygotic¡¯ structure, and only one of the two died during the False Moon Incident¡­ While the other body, by chance, encountered us, and so the story goes.¡± As Yi Chen finished his narration, the expressions of the managers in attendance varied greatly. It was hard to imagine how a newcomer had managed to investigate the truth behind the Twilight Clinic to such an extent in just four days. Doctor Visari was the first to raise a question: ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious on a personal level, based on your previous description of the events, there wasn¡¯t much time to investigate the truth behind the clinic. The gentleman who was transformed by the disease ¨C Mr. Lee, didn¡¯t seem to say much before he just started the battle with you.¡± ¡°How did you manage to obtain such detailed information?¡± ¡°As long as the patient¡¯s brain is sufficiently intact and fresh, my professional characteristics allow me to read the information within. However, in most cases, they are just fragments of memories, which need to be organized and completed based on a sufficient amount of investigative groundwork.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Not a bad trait.¡± The more Doctor Visari looked at Yi Chen, the more pleasing he found him. Such a special professional characteristic even aroused some self-interest in him. Following that, The supervisors present also asked some detailed questions, including the specifics of how everyone killed Mr. Lee and the exact situation when facing ¡°Moon Scar ¨C Lorrian¡±. After the questioning was over, the meeting came to the last part, ¡°Evaluation and Reward¡±. Generally speaking, For missions involving new gentlemen, one only needs to submit at the counter in the ground floor lobby, and the staff will verify its accuracy. The rewards specified in the reward list will be given within 0-3 working days. Such on-site evaluations and reward adjustment tasks were a first encounter for Edmund and the others, Even though the wounds they still carried were faintly painful, their hearts were still excited. After all, no one could preserve themselves in such a world state, even high-rank gentlemen may permanently lose the ability to move after an exploration mission. After consolidating their opinions, supervisors present, Professor Qian Bosen, and Doctor Visari left it to Supervisor Aiji to announce everyone¡¯s rewards. ¡°Based on your perfect performance in this mission, the difficulty level of ¡°Secret Medicine Recovery¡± has been adjusted to ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î. Your personal files will especially record the completion of this mission. The rewards are as follows: 1. Each person will receive 3,000 silver coins. 2. Each person will receive an old-world charmed ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± measuring 20cm¡Á20cm. 3. Task points (rare) +1 4. One tumor-like crystal from ¡°Moon Night Rat ¨C Jesmin Lee¡±. 5. Each person will receive 5ml of ¡°Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡±. Afterward, some characteristics of this secret medicine will be briefly explained. If it does not match your personal trait, you may apply to exchange it for other rewards.¡± Such rewards made everyone¡¯s eyes widen. The initial expected reward was only one piece of Gentleman¡¯s Skin. Now it changed to one for each person! The amount was more than what Edmund had earned from his previous five missions combined. This meant that all members could now modify and upgrade their clothing. Additionally, the quantity of Dusk Thin Silver Liquid changed from a drop to 5ml. Just as Supervisor Aiji finished reading out the rewards, Doctor Visari suddenly interjected. He had just had a brief exchange with Professor Qian Bosen by his side and was also holding a file on Yi Chen¡¯s gentleman profile. ¡°Wait a minute¡ªWilliam Behrens, although it¡¯s not recorded on your file, do you have a ¡®Death Attribute¡¯ that has yet to be developed? And when you made your letter selection, there was also a black letter related to death, correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yi Chen nodded immediately. ¡°In that case, your compatibility with ¡®Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡¯ should be very high. I personally suggest altering your reward, cutting some of the basic ones, like the number of silver coins, and changing the quantity of ¡®Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡¯ from 5ml to one bottle. You could use it at crucial moments, for example during an ¡®Extreme Breakthrough¡¯, to perhaps stimulate the death trait hidden in your body ahead of time.¡± Upon hearing this, Supervisor Aiji was stunned! The whole matter of the Twilight Clinic was completely sealed up, and during the execution of Doctor Macaul, his brain was deliberately preserved because the quality of ¡®Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡¯ in the secret medicine room was among the top. This precious secret medicine was hard to come by even for high-ranked gentlemen, And now an entire bottle was being awarded to a new gentleman. However, Since it was Doctor Visari himself, responsible for the secret medicine review, speaking, there was no need for procedural review. Yi Chen did not show much excitement, but nodded ordinarily. ¡°If you have any confusion about the use of the secret medicine later on, you can come to the Hippocrates Hospital to ask me.¡± After saying this, Doctor Visari took out a business card from inside his white coat, and, using the smooth conference table surface, he slid it precisely in front of Yi Chen. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Dusk Thin Silver Liquid Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Dusk Thin Silver Liquid The meeting ended, Doctor Visari along with the evaluating supervisor left one after another, leaving only Professor Qian Bosen and Supervisor Aiji, who had just returned from outside carrying various reward items. Each person received a 20cm¡Á20cm piece of ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± which carried the aura of the old world. This skin could be used for repairing, altering, or upgrading gentlemen¡¯s clothes, enhancing the clothing¡¯s resistance, self-healing trait, and deepening the ¡®bond¡¯ effect. When an individual broke through human limits, it could also provide a certain auxiliary effect. In addition, Supervisor Aiji also held two additional high-value reward items. One of them was the Pathological Crystal from [Moon Night Rat ¨C Jisming Lee] Because the body Yi Chen brought back was basically intact, except for a severed left arm and a torn mouth. The rat, symbolizing the Pathological Core, was also pinched to death, with a high degree of integrity, yielding an excellently formed Pathological Crystal through Zion¡¯s advanced Burning Technology. Moon-shaped, it emitted a faint glimmer of the new moon, with a structure resembling a fetal rat suspended in the crystal¡¯s center, ¡°This crystal, in terms of shape and quality among crystals of the same grade, is considered [superior]. Even in the market, it could fetch tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, and it might not always be available. You can distribute it among yourselves.¡± The boxed crystal was handed to Captain Edmund, who, without much thought, immediately passed it on. ¡°William, this item is meant for you~ Whether it was planning the operation, pinpointing Mr. Lee¡¯s[Weakness], or executing the final blow, all were done by you. Plus, you just happen to need a weapon. Using this crystal as the main material, you can surely forge a suitable and handy weapon. Your overall standards will definitely rise a notch by then. If Professor Qian Bosen doesn¡¯t have the connections in this area, I can introduce you to a Forging Master from the family.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t immediately accept it, but turned to his three teammates, ¡°It seems that none of you have accepted a crystal to gain ¡®Pathological Characteristic¡¯? Wouldn¡¯t this also be useful for you?¡± Edmund quickly waved his hand, ¡°William, don¡¯t put us down¡­ Accepting a crystal and harnessing ¡®Pathological Characteristic¡¯ is not something ordinary people can do. Most gentlemen wait until they have surpassed their limits and have the assurance of physical strength and power to attempt this. Not everyone can be a freak like you who uses human flesh to forcibly adapt to and control the power of Pathological Trait.¡± At this time, Juliana in her wheelchair also turned her head, ¡°William, just take it.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Yi Chen initially wanted to say more, but, seeing the glances from his teammates, he finally chose to accept. Actually, in terms of the final contribution to killing Mr. Lee, Yi Chen believed that Juliana¡¯s contribution was on par with his own, if not greater. But indeed, he also needed this crystal to forge a weapon now. The main event was about to happen. Supervisor Aiji then brought up a briefcase marked G&D onto the table, opening it through special decryption measures. One bottle of original-packaged ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯ and three small injection vials were inside. ¡°Due to Doctor Visari¡¯s sudden decision, William will take an entire bottle of secret medicine without refusal or substitution, hence a more detailed understanding of the secret medicine is necessary. This will be left here for Professor Qian Bosen and William, I¡¯ll take you three to the next room and explain the basics of the secret medicine.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± With the departure of non-essential personnel, especially Supervisor Aiji, Professor Qian Bosen could finally stop suppressing the joy inside him, his stern and rigid face immediately bearing a smile, even the owl on his shoulder spread its wings, using its beak to preen its feathers. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Doctor Visari to come personally, normally it¡¯s just the staff from the secret medicine review department who are present, and they can¡¯t interfere with the distribution of the doses of the medicine.¡± ¡°Could it be related to the brief encounter I had with Doctor Visari before?¡± Yi Chen briefly explained the situation when he first arrived in Zion. ¡°Despite only having a Luck of [3], I still encountered such good fortune¡­ No wonder Doctor Visari suddenly asked about some of your personal conditions and the death trait hidden within you. Though Doctor Visari is the deputy dean of Hippocrates Hospital, he is not very good at treating and saving patients, but rather specializes in dealing with the hospital¡¯s troubles, especially the most troublesome tasks within the Pathogen Center. If there is a theft, loss of control, or other issues regarding the secret medicine, he handles them personally. His power is indeed related to [Death], you should grasp this relationship with Doctor Visari well.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about your reward¡­ This bottle of secret medicine is actually not something you can use right now. Even if the properties of the medicine match you, reckless usage would still be very dangerous. Let me explain in detail the information about this ¡®Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡¯.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°This is a new type of secret medicine, both potential-type and combat-type. ¡®Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡¯, as its name implies, is often used during twilight or moments of near death. For instance, during a fight with a patient, if you are gravely injured and smell death, falling completely into despair¡­ an arterial injection can instantly restore your physical and mental state to normal, lasting for a period of time. If the user possesses a death trait, they can also inject small doses regularly to enhance their perception of death, or like Doctor Visari said, use it to assist when you are about to break through the Limit Barrier. Of course, the side effects of the silver liquid itself are significant, and if you inject too much or if it causes a rejection reaction in your body, it could lead to unimaginable dire consequences.¡± Yi Chen nodded, ¡°This is really great¡­ It¡¯s just a pity that there are problems with the production process. Will the organization continue to produce this type of secret medicine?¡± ¡°They will, but the organization will try to find legitimate materials to replace ¡®Illness Death Factor¡¯ or collect materials voluntarily¡­ They will never tread the path Dr. Macaul took. Mental cleanliness is the essence of being a gentleman. If even this cannot be achieved, the organization would have ceased to exist long ago.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Of course, due to the decline of the Twilight Clinic. The production of this secret medicine will inevitably greatly decrease, and its value will increase several-fold. In the future, it will be nearly impossible to get a second bottle, so you must grasp this opportunity well. My advice is, now that Doctor Visari has expressed his stance, when you reach the Limit Barrier and plan to use the secret medicine, remember to visit him.¡± ¡°Okay, since I can¡¯t use it now, could I ask you to keep it for me for the time being, Professor?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Setting aside the matter of the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid, Yi Chen then brought out the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ and ¡®Pathological Crystal¡¯ he had acquired from a mission, Before he could speak, Professor Qian Bosen directly offered a suggestion: ¡°This skin can be equipped on your clothing by Ivan, he knows more about this than I do. As the ¡®Skin Content¡¯ of the clothing increases, the overall effect will also be greater, and it might even occasionally enhance your [Sensitivity] and help you understand some strange phenomena.¡± ¡°As for this crystal, are you planning to make it into a weapon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know any skilled forging masters, but your friend¡¯s family, the Mariano family, does have some connections.¡± Yi Chen quickly waved his hand to refuse, ¡°I¡¯d rather not trouble Edmund, his arm hasn¡¯t completely recovered. Professor, you could introduce me to any forging master, or I could just browse the commercial streets myself. By the way, will my reward money be enough to cover the costs of weapon forging?¡± ¡°If you include some additional materials, it might not be enough. How about this, I¡¯ll personally take you, as I happen to have some unused ¡®scrap materials¡¯ in my warehouse that might solve your material problem.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 78: The Blacksmith Chapter 79: Chapter 78: The Blacksmith Under the guidance of Qian Bosen, Yi Chen followed him to the middle layer of the street district, a street known for selling and forging weapons¨CMetalwork Street. A large number of blacksmith shops with various designs were established here, huge metal chimneys, an oppressively hot environment over 10 degrees Celsius higher than in other districts, the ceaseless sound of hammering iron and hawkers¡¯ calls, yet a large number of gentlemen were accustomed to strolling here, in search of more suitable materials or weapon equipment. Gun users like Edmund often required custom special-effect bullets from modern blacksmith shops. While walking down the street, Yi Chen noticed that Professor Qian Bosen also seemed indecisive, unsure which blacksmith shop to choose. ¡°Professor, is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Sort of, I came here with my teammates when I was young, but I rarely come now¡­ after all, I don¡¯t need weapons. For a Magic Gentleman like me, I make more use of ¡®Magic Mediums¡¯. For example, casting gloves made from special skins, accessories like rings and necklaces crafted from Pathological Crystals with magical traits, or, even higher-end, using a large amount of skin combined with secret inscriptions to create Magic Books and so on.¡± ¡°I see, can I use such things?¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Crafting a pair or a single most basic pair of Casting Gloves can effectively enhance your control over plants. If you don¡¯t plan on using ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ to upgrade your clothing, you might as well start by making gloves. It¡¯s up to you to decide.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sort out the weapon issue first.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ this shop looks pretty good¡­ a two-story structure that deals with both material sales and weapon forging. Let¡¯s go in and take a look, try to get it all done at once.¡± Vulcan¡¯s Forge A fiery, hot sign hung at the door, upon entering, one could see a group of stout youths in black leather aprons, their bronze muscles sweating as they hammered the hot iron. After a brief explanation to the attendant, the two were invited upstairs. They were personally attended by an older blacksmith with more experience, unlike the apprentices downstairs hammering iron, this old blacksmith preferred to stay in the quiet room on the second floor, reading books and tending to flowers. Disappointed upon learning it was only the newcomer gentleman Yi Chen who wanted to forge a weapon, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a newcomer gentleman to find me for forging. My apprentices here can handle that job. If it doesn¡¯t meet expectations, or there¡¯s a mistake during forging that damages the material, we will compensate with a double refund.¡± ¡°Can your apprentices handle this?¡± At Qian Bosen¡¯s signal, Yi Chen passed over the sealed box containing the tumor-like Crystal of the Moon Night Rat ¨C Jesmin Lee. The old blacksmith received the box with his calloused hands, squinting as he slowly opened it, a sliver of moonlight instantly penetrated his eyes, gradually widening his squint gaze, revealing a new moon in his pupils. Amidst the seemingly moist new moon lay a flesh-like embryo. Not disgusting at all, instead, the otherwise lifeless moon was touched with a hint of vitality. ¡°Ah, this is a fine item! Professor Qian Bosen is actually giving such high-quality Crystals to a newcomer gentleman? With material like this, the weapon forged will be difficult for a newcomer to handle.¡± ¡°He personally killed the Patient, and the Crystal was refined from the relatively intact body. It has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just here to help him forge his weapon.¡± ¡°This is a Crystal of a Severe Patient, isn¡¯t it? Moreover, judging by its form, it must have belonged to quite a tough character. No wonder Professor Qian Bosen has the time to bring a newcomer. Turns out, he¡¯s a rare talent¡­ Fine then! I, Ben Gusi, will take on this task. Please fill out this forging intention form carefully.¡± Yi Chen had pretty much figured out what he wanted along the way, and quickly completed the form. Ben Gusi, the blacksmith, read the intent form with ease: ¡°Hand Axe, slightly heavier weight, material not specified, length adapted¡­hoping it will be suitable for various situations and against different types of enemies. The conditions you¡¯ve set are quite loose, but are you really sure you want to go with an axe? With your build, choosing a sword, a long knife, or a spear might be a better option.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already used to an axe, swords, and the like I find rather awkward to use.¡± ¡°Alright then. But if you want to handle all sorts of situations, you¡¯ll need to combine the traits of both short hand axes and long-handled axes, and our shop just happens to have a technology that can accommodate both traits. Here is a technology sample; you can try it out.¡± The old blacksmith fetched an iron rod, barely a meter long, and handed it to Yi Chen. The seemingly ordinary rod felt unexpectedly heavy in the palm. ¡°This length is suitable for close combat in confined spaces¡­if you want longer range combat or to make broader attacks, you¡¯ll need to increase the length of the weapon. You must have felt the metal clasp on the rod by now, right? Press it down with your thumb, then give a short, quick pull.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen, following the blacksmith¡¯s instructions, pressed firmly on the barely noticeable clasp and then yanked the iron rod backwards. Clang! Sparks flew In the short pulling distance ( ¡°If you want to revert it to the original length, just repeat the action we just did. This sample only demonstrates the change in length, but we can also realize a certain degree of shape transformation, depending on your personal needs.¡± ¡°How much does it cost to use this technology?¡± Yi Chen was still worried about the cost, after all, he hadn¡¯t yet fully repaid Edmund¡¯s money. ¡°Adding the shape transformation, the price will exceed ten thousand.¡± Just as Yi Chen was about to refuse, Qian Bosen directly placed his business card down, ¡°Go with the highest standard. As long as the final product is flawless, deduct the payment directly from my account. I consider this technology quite impressive, and it¡¯s worthy of this precious Crystal material. I¡¯ve got some materials here too, in case you find them useful.¡± ¡°Okay. In that case, we need to determine individual intentions in detail next, the weapon¡¯s transformation modes and shapes, and address feasibility issues. Once we finalize the design, we¡¯ll need to select materials and also measure the user¡¯s body parameters. After all these preparations are completed, we¡¯ll need more than two weeks of crafting time, and we¡¯ll notify you as soon as it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°That works for me. Then, William, you can stay here to further confirm the weapon design details, I¡¯ve got other matters to attend to.¡± As Qian Bosen left, the preliminaries for forging the weapon officially began, and while proceeding with Yi Chen¡¯s body measurements, old Ben Gusi was surprised to find that this seemingly slender young man actually possessed an odd but strong physique. ¡°Your body¡­it wasn¡¯t formed through regular training, was it?¡± Yi Chen answered with a smile: ¡°I can only say it was very painful.¡± ¡°No wonder you could slay Severe Patients, and Professor Qian Bosen thinks so highly of you. As someone who might help humanity out of its plight, I too will do my utmost to forge the finest piece. To ensure the final product matches you well, we may need you to come in for trial use at any time during this period. Stay in town for now, and don¡¯t go running around.¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll mostly be at the academy this month and won¡¯t be going out, thank you, Mr. Ben Gusi.¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 79 One Month Chapter 80: Chapter 79 One Month Forge had not gone as smoothly as anticipated, due to the ¡°requirements¡± proposed by Yi Chen being rather demanding. Moreover, the tumor-like crystal of the Moon Night Rat ¨C Jesmin Lee encountered various technical issues in actual handling. To ensure that the materials would not be worn down during use, the Blacksmith Shop even needed to apply to Zion for a special support, naturally requiring an application fee. Not to mention the significant increase in cost, the estimated time for the finished product was pushed back to a month later. Of course, Yi Chen was not in a hurry. Due to the perfect completion of the Secret Medicine Recovery mission, the academy had also prominently marked the files of the four of them, allowing a three-month recuperation period during which they were not required to undertake any other gentleman¡¯s tasks. Yi Chen chose to spend his free time at the academy. Although his physical training had achieved its effects, Yi Chen would still spend 1 to 2 days a week visiting Zede¡¯s paradise for consolidation, no longer needing to train day and night on the premise of exhausting his physique as he used to, but rather engaging more in exchanges and discussions on the physical level with Teacher Zede. After the battle at the Twilight Clinic, Yi Chen¡¯s physique had improved to a certain extent through combat. Although his Physique attribute had not changed numerically, Teacher Zede¡¯s examination suggested that this number should have risen by 0.5. Only when the value increases by [1] would it directly manifest. During his daily ¡®exchanges¡¯, Yi Chen also gradually discovered how terrifying Teacher Zede¡¯s physique was; even down to the most basic muscular fiber, Zede could execute precise control. While staying in paradise, the two would occasionally engage in a sparring match of a challenging nature. Unlike Professor Qian Bosen¡¯s ¡®normal sparring¡¯, sparring with Zede could be described with the word ¡®nightmare¡¯. Many times, Yi Chen even doubted whether he was facing a human or some kind of monster. Given Yi Chen¡¯s current perspective, he was unable to estimate Teacher Zede¡¯s ¡®true strength¡¯, nor could he imagine how fearsome he would be when truly unleashing his killing intent. Besides, in addition to the two mandatory classes each week and the interactions with Teacher Zede, Yi Chen devoted the rest of his time to the academy¡¯s Great Book Library, fully utilizing his Professional Characteristics, and compensating for the information deficit as a transmigrator. The Great Book Library would grant reading qualifications for a designated area based on the individual¡¯s mission records in their files. Thanks to the ¡°Secret Medicine Recovery¡± record, Yi Chen could access about 40% of the basic books in the Great Book Library. It took one month. He completed reading all the basic books he could access, from Zion to the initial establishment of the academy, from the earliest gentleman groups to the gradually formed framework of the G&D Organization, from some basic and simple physical training methods to advanced forms of physical, thought, and sensitivity cultivation, as well as investigative methods for different areas and environments. With the aid of the Emblem of Books at the back of his head, he linked together valuable knowledge points, constructing and weaving them into a network of knowledge unique to himself, fully integrating into this pathological world through the text. It was not just knowledge that he gained. While reading about botany and the entry-level magic books, Yi Chen gained deeper understanding of his own ¡°Pathological Traits.¡± He was also determined to use the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± awarded from the mission to craft a pair of gloves, deciding to delay the upgrade of his outfit. The only regret was that, even the academy¡¯s Great Book Library did not stock books on ¡°Pathogen¡±, for the same reason¡ªtexts involving the disease might serve as a medium to draw pathogenic agents here. [One month later] After completing all accessible readings in the Great Book Library, such a reading lifestyle came to a temporary halt. At night, as Yi Chen lying in his dormitory bed was about to fall into a dream, whiffs of white smoke rose in his head, accompanied by the aroma of brain flowers being roasted. Since becoming a gentleman, Yi Chen had found two types of delicacies irresistible¡ªone being plants and the other, brains. When he smelled this fragrance, Yi Chen, about to fall asleep, unexpectedly drooled, even soaking his pillow. As his consciousness gradually awoke, only then did he realize it was his own head heating up¡­ more precisely, his brain heating up. Frightened, he quickly went to the bathroom, A minute passed, White smoke began seeping from the gap under the bathroom door, the situation did not improve. But he roughly confirmed one thing, The hottest area was at the back of the head, suspected to be related to the book emblem. This commotion completely woke up the little grape, who was very worried about Yi Chen¡¯s condition. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll help you see what exactly is going on inside your skull. If there¡¯s a risk of an ¡®exploding brain¡¯, hurry to find that Qian Bosen.¡± The little grape made a standard diving motion, The black fur ball ¡®dived¡¯ straight under the skin, leaving only a coin-sized tuft of hair visible, Rapidly moving to the brain area via the shoulder, it found the true culprit causing the entire head to heat up, confirming Yi Chen¡¯s suspicion, it was indeed the book emblem between the back of the brain. The emblem was burning red, as if it had just been branded. The little grape didn¡¯t quite understand this kind of thing either and tried to touch it¡­ Sizzle! The black hairs between its fingers were burnt off instantly, causing it so much pain that it jumped out from the back of the head, quickly landing in the washbasin. While rinsing with cold water, it said in a panic, ¡°William! You¡¯re gonna explode, your head is definitely gonna explode! I¡¯ve been in the Easton Cemetery for so many years, rummaged through the brains of countless guys, and I¡¯ve never seen one as hot as yours! What do we do, it¡¯s definitely too late to find Qian Bosen now. Don¡¯t worry~ If you really die from an exploding brain, I will figure out a way to bury you back in the Easton Cemetery, maybe one day in the future you can crawl out from between the graves, and then we can pair up again. However, The journey from here to the Easton Cemetery is quite far, the travel expenses will be paid with your grapes~ After all, if I bury you in the cemetery, the grapes will go bad and expire anyway.¡± Yi Chen naturally didn¡¯t hear the little grape¡¯s arrangements for his own affairs, Although his brain¡¯s temperature was very high, he himself didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. In the end, with no other options, he directly used the maximum water flow of cold water for the shower. Sizzle! The initial water that hit his head directly evaporated, and the entire bathroom was instantly filled with white smoke, making it almost impossible to see any figures. As time went on, the temperature of the brain began to dip. This process lasted a full hour, Finally, the brain cooled down to a normal temperature. At the same time, changes in the corresponding data were projected onto the retina. [Intellect] has increased [4] ¡ú [5] *Special Note: Intellect has reached extraordinary levels, and the ¡°Pathological Traits¡± directly affected by this attribute will also change. Please simulate and practice this trait after the brain has completely stabilized. The brain completely cooled down, Yi Chen merely felt his thoughts become broader, more flexible, with more synapse structures newly formed and more neurotransmitters transmitting rapidly across the brain, Even some scientific issues that he had not been able to figure out in his lifetime suddenly had answers at this moment. However, Yi Chen no longer needed to write any academic papers. He felt the plant pulses within his body and connected them to the active brain. He extended his palm. Whoosh~ A thick and sharp plant rootstock suddenly shot out from the center of his palm, piercing out like a spear. Bang! The round mirror on the washstand two meters away was pierced and shattered, even leaving a few centimeters deep conical groove on the back wall. ¡°My plant control has finally reached the level of that living corpse!¡± At this time, The little grape standing between the sinks, While chewing on the broken glass, looked at Yi Chen, muttering softly, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright~ I don¡¯t want to eat the grapes before they¡¯re ripe¡­ Keep growing well, William.¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Finished Product Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Finished Product Even Yi Chen himself hadn¡¯t expected, that a month spent in the Great Book Library would actually enhance his critical ¡°Intelligence¡± attribute, The act of devouring Mr. Li¡¯s brain at the Twilight Clinic had raised the value by [0.5], and now through reading and studying, he had complemented it with another [0.5]. ¡°If reading can also improve intelligence, reaching the so-called ¡®Limit Barrier¡¯ would be so easy¡­ In the remaining half a year, I¡¯ll try to finish all the advanced books left in the Great Book Library. Or perhaps go to Zion¡¯s Library, or a bookstore, maybe I could max out my Intelligence directly?¡± At this moment, Little Grape had jumped back onto Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, sensing his thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. The reason why reading can improve your intelligence might also be related to your consumption of brain marrow¡­ The intake of Brain Marrow Fluid has allowed your brain to grow, to expand and enlarge. This ¡®space¡¯ that has been expanded is then filled by reading, ultimately leading to the growth of intelligence.¡± ¡°Hmm, that makes some sense. Let¡¯s do that, then. I¡¯ll rest early tonight¡­ Tomorrow I can go check out how the weapon at the blacksmith shop is coming along.¡± Yi Chen was not overly excited by the increase in attributes, but accepted everything very calmly, lying comfortably on his pillow to sleep, and his entire brain quieted down as a result. At this time, if someone were to sneak into the bedroom with a Skull Saw, softly remove Yi Chen¡¯s skull cap, they would find that the brain nestled within the cranial cavity was quite clean and lubricated, as immaculately clean as a newborn¡¯s, as if it had been subjected to high-temperature disinfection for an extended period, and even the surface of the brain was shining with a white halo. This was the effect of continuous high-temperature disinfection on the brain, and this night Yi Chen would enjoy an unprecedented deep sleep. The so-called increase in ¡°Intelligence¡± is actually a fundamental enhancement of an individual¡¯s thinking and brain capacity, after extensive training and absorption of foreign substances. And gentleman¡¯s clothes only show such enhancement in a more direct, numerical form, facilitating the individual¡¯s understanding. A step further, and Yi Chen¡¯s brain would reach the human limit. ¡­ [Vulcan¡¯s Forge] A month had passed, and it was finally time for weapon delivery. This month, Yi Chen had visited the shop four times for some detailed modifications and sample testing. Today he wasn¡¯t alone; Professor Qian Bosen had also been notified by the shop to come together. The reason he managed to take time out of his busy schedule was twofold, 1. Qian Bosen was naturally concerned about Yi Chen¡¯s affairs, and since he personally reserved the weapon, he naturally wanted to see the quality of the final product. 2. Today his account was directly deducted by a total of 48,000 silver coins. Even for Qian Bosen, such a considerable sum was a bit overwhelming, and he needed to see if the money spent was worth it. Also invited to the private room on the Second Floor of the shop, Qian Bosen went straight to the point and said, ¡°The weapon for the new gentleman, even after we provided the ¡®Core Crystal Core¡¯ and all kinds of scrappy materials, the price is still so high?¡± But old blacksmith Ben Gusi was all smiles, with a shine in his pupils. ¡°Indeed, it is quite expensive, almost three times higher than my original estimate. But these were necessary expenses, The process of forging this weapon is quite complicated, and many parts had to switch to mid to high-end materials to ensure stability. In this month, I have not rested for a single day, pouring my heart into this project. My apprentices have also seen their workload increase by nearly 30% daily because of this weapon. The detailed account statement will be given to you later.¡± ¡°The money doesn¡¯t matter, I just want to see if the final product is worth the price and the wait.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Ben Gusi carried an exquisitely made black carrying case with the forge¡¯s imprint on its surface to the table. ¡°I very much appreciate that you could provide such a perfect Pathological Crystal; it has been a long while since I¡¯ve been so engrossed in the forging of a weapon. This is my most satisfactory work in five years, even ten years.¡± Qian Bosen nodded slightly and gestured for Yi Chen beside him to open the carrying case. Click~ The pressure lock on the case opened immediately upon being pressed. As the carrying case opened, even Qian Bosen switched to owl-like eyes, carefully examining every inch of the weapon, attempting to find a ¡®flaw¡¯, even the minute imperfections that are common in standard forging would do. After a thorough search, however, no matter what he couldn¡¯t find any. Yi Chen didn¡¯t even consider this aspect, Having visited the blacksmith shop for a total of four times this month, he was well aware of how seriously the old blacksmith took this matter. His current gaze was completely drawn to the special Hand Axe. The [Handle] was made of some highly plastic black metal, wrapped with a strap made from the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯, which not only provided a non-slip grip but also matched gentleman¡¯s clothes. At the upper end of the strap was a protruding section, seeming like a mechanism to trigger form changes, yet it was exceptionally sharp; just touching it with a finger would easily puncture the skin. At the end of the handle was embedded a ¡®Mouse-shaped sculpture¡¯. This was not an ordinary accessory; inside the sculpture was fused the embryo of a mouse amongst Pathological Crystals. It seemed the sculpture would change with the weapon¡¯s form and was also an important medium. If one looked closely, one could even see the hair-like blood vessels extending from beneath the sculpture and burying into the handle¡­ even reaching from the bottom to the top of the handle, influencing the entire weapon. [Axe Head]- Made from an alloy containing silver and Pathological Crystals (moon-shaped) using a special technique, with repeated tempering over more than ten days, the silver-white axe head was finally forged. Flawless, beyond reproach. ¡­ An ordinary person might see it as just a common straight-handled Hand Axe, with good craftsmanship but nothing special. ¡°Give it a try!¡± At the old blacksmith¡¯s gesture, Yi Chen finally came to his senses, When he reached out to grip the handle, the fiber threads on the cuff of his shirt immediately entwined with the Gentleman¡¯s Skin on the surface of the handle, rapidly reading relevant information. Ancient maggot-like characters wriggled across his retinas, displaying the weapon¡¯s detailed information. ¡®Moon of Slaughter¡¯ Quality: Rare Type: Axe (Slashing/Cutting) Attribute Association: [Physique]C (Variable) [Coordination]E [Intelligence]- (Variable) [Sensing]- [Luck]- *The higher the associated attribute values, the more damage the weapon inflicts Special Effects: *This weapon can switch forms manually by activating a mechanism. ¡®Slaughter Form¡¯ Associated Attribute [Physique]C¡úB A mode of attack with tearing properties, particularly effective against blood and flesh creatures. Hitting such targets stacks bleeding values, which can result in a [Big Bloodletting] when accumulated to a certain amount. *Big Bloodletting-Immediately causes a significant loss of life points, and for Open Source Patients, it can also reduce the liquid in their tubular structures. ¡®Full Moon Form¡¯ Associated Attribute [Intelligence]-¡úC Increase in agility, enemies hit by this will be marked with the Moonlight Mark, and the light and shadow will morph into the form of a mouse swarm to erode the surface layer. Suitable for dealing with special Patients with metal or rock traits. Can also cause real damage to spiritual entities. Evaluation-¡®Under the full moon, the slaughter begins.¡¯ ¡­ Designed according to Yi Chen¡¯s ideas, Under normal circumstances, the axe would not reveal any of its forms. At present, Yi Chen moved his thumb up to grip the handle and actively touched the protruding sharp point. Piercing and bleeding. As blood seeped into the handle, it was instantly activated! ¡®Slaughter Form¡¯ The Mouse-shaped sculpture at the end of the handle, upon drawing fresh blood, actually opened its mouse mouth wide, revealing a set of blood-stained sharp teeth. The axe head was likewise stimulated, growing rows of serrated sharp teeth on the surface of its already sharp axe blade, densely packed. The entire weapon was suffused with a faint blood red, as if a bloody crescent moon were hanging in the sky. At that moment, Yi Chen switched to a two-handed grip. His left hand was below, pressing against the mouse-shaped sculpture at the bottom of the handle, His right hand was above, pulling the handle, Accompanied by the sound of metal friction¡­ the length of the handle was extended by an entire half. Not only that, As the handle extended, the silver axe head actually began to [Split]. Transforming into a symmetrical ¡®Double-edged Axe¡¯ structure, with all the teeth previously scattered across the blade being retracted, the crimson was gone, replaced by a glowing white light, like a full moon. ¡®Full Moon Form¡¯ The mouse-shaped sculpture at the base of the handle also closed its mouth, retracted its teeth, The two little mouse paws came together, meditating, and a small Moon Seal also appeared on the forehead. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Chance Encounter Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Chance Encounter When Qian Bosen saw the weapon transform in Yi Chen¡¯s hands, the discomfort in his heart instantly dissipated. A single word¡­ worth it. The old blacksmith Ben Gusi said: ¡°New Gentlemen are generally not recommended to use such weapons because they are too powerful and easily make the individual develop a dependence, and cause a misperception of their own strength. However, since you are capable of killing Severe Patients, using such a weapon ahead of time isn¡¯t a problem. What I need to remind you is, if you want to perfectly control this kind of transforming weapon, you must practice diligently, starting from the very basics of slashing and hacking anew.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Yi Chen pressed one hand on the mouse-shaped sculpture at the base and pulled back on the upper part of the axe handle. Click! After a series of metallic sliding and jamming sounds, the axe returned to its plain, unadorned normal look, with a black handle and silver blade, simple and portable. ¡°It¡¯s perfect! Thank you, Mr. Ben Gusi.¡± ¡°This old body of mine can only stay within the city forging iron, but I hope you can take this and eradicate more ¡®disease¡¯.¡± Qian Bosen interjected at this moment: ¡°Why establish a shop here with such a level of forging skill? You could completely become a Forger directly affiliated with the Organization, where both the treatment and the materials involved would be far superior, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I stepped down twenty years ago but still find ¡®freedom¡¯ to hold more value. Oh, and the suitcase as well, I¡¯m giving it to you. Besides storing the weapon, it has an impact-resistant compartment inside, suitable for carrying various medicine syringes or temporary enchantment materials.¡± Ben Gusi casually pointed to the forge mark imprinted on the surface of the suitcase, in case Yi Chen¡¯s reputation grew later, it might serve as a bit of advertising. ¡°Alright.¡± After putting the weapon away. When the suit-clad Yi Chen picked up the handle on the side of the case, his whole demeanor changed. In the city or while going to investigate suspected disease-affected areas, carrying a suitcase was better than carrying a weapon openly. After leaving the shop, Qian Bosen gently patted Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Your start is quite perfect. What do you plan to do next? Continue undertaking missions with your pals?¡± ¡°Not for now, I plan to spend a month mastering the weapon. Zede, my teacher, will be very willing to practice with me. Edmund and the others haven¡¯t fully recovered from their injuries, so we¡¯ll wait a bit.¡± ¡°Well, just a slight reminder for you. In the future, when you are on missions outside the city, keep an eye on the ¡®Moon¡¯ element. I¡¯ve never seen an Open Source Patient like ¡®Moon Scar¡¯ before. He is an unconstrained ¡®Patient Zero¡¯, completely different in his thoughts from other patients, and he seems quite interested in you. If while executing missions outside, you notice elements related to the moon, immediately head to nearby Organization-affiliated institutions like clinics, cemeteries, clothing stores, and seek refuge. Just by briefly explaining your association with an Open Source Patient, they will provide all the help they can.¡± ¡°Understood. By the way, Professor Qian Bosen, I still have quite a bit of ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ left, prepared for making a pair of spell-casting gloves.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡­ Another month passed. Under four weekly physical clashes with his teacher Zede, Yi Chen had completely mastered his new weapon, able to use it effectively in various situations to eradicate disease and kill enemies. After all, facing teacher Zede, he could treat him entirely as an enemy, slashing freely without holding back, and slicing through his flesh only seemed to excite him more. During this time, he also took the opportunity to read quite a few books, but as Little Grape speculated, even though his reading efficiency was extremely high, the wondrous feeling from that night never returned. It seemed he truly needed to consume a sufficient amount of Brain Marrow Fluid to expand his brain and enhance his intelligence. Just thinking about the taste of root absorption made Yi Chen¡¯s whole body tremble uncontrollably¡ªit was a truly wonderful sensation. Additionally, the situation of his former teammates was not great. Edmund¡¯s left arm was still not quite adjusted, but his condition was excellent, and he was attempting a new type of skill training¡­ he was undergoing a transformation he had never experienced before. Juliana still needed to sit in a wheelchair, visiting Hippocrates Hospital weekly for rehabilitative treatment. Aftereffects were inevitable, but perhaps she might overcome her physical defects once she pushed past human limits. ¡­ Although the academy granted three months of rest, after a month of weapon proficiency training, Yi Chen couldn¡¯t stay put anymore and was ready to try out some solo missions. While earning money, he also aimed to acquire some ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± to increase the skin content of his clothing. On his way to Gentleman Hall, Little Grape popped his small head out from the collar, twirling an eyeball in his mouth, and muttered softly, ¡°Hey~ human organizations usually don¡¯t allow newcomers like you to undertake missions alone; it¡¯s mostly team-based¡­ Isn¡¯t it too dangerous for you alone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a suggestion to team up, not mandatory. Plus, the organization arranges missions based on the number of people and their skills levels, so it¡¯s not a big problem. And aren¡¯t you here with me, Little Grape? That makes us a team of two, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said so many times! I can only be considered ¡®juvenille¡¯ for now. Except for that crisis and special circumstance last time, I absolutely won¡¯t provide any combat support. You should still try to find someone to team up with. It¡¯s quite problematic to go alone¡­¡± ¡°Let me go see what missions are available first.¡± Yi Chen took the elevator to the lowest level of the street district, following his memory from the last time he went to Gentleman Hall, quickly navigating through the alleys. Just as Yi Chen emerged from an alley and reached a certain intersection, Boom! A shop with no signboard next to him suddenly exploded violently. A severed arm, mostly charred and even emitting a faint smell of burnt flesh, was blasted right in front of Yi Chen. ¡°Huh? Such things still happen in the city?¡± The nearby gentlemen were also drawn by the noise, moving closer to the shop where the explosion occurred. Yi Chen deliberately slowed his pace, following behind the crowd, wary of unforeseeable dangers. Little Grape also widened his eyes from within the cuff, trying to peek into the specific situation in the exploded shop. Thick smoke continuously billowed out from the damaged shop, and before the crowd could get close, a young man dressed flamboyantly, wearing a colorful mask, walked out of the smoke. He was also holding a complete severed leg, waving it to greet the approaching gentlemen, ¡°Cough cough~ everyone, please don¡¯t be nervous. I and the shop owner friend are testing a new batch of goods! It seems the quality of the goods is not bad. Look at this long leg, look at the muscle content, look at this freshness~ would you like to buy some ¡®imitation meat¡¯ too?¡± Strange people and events often occurred on the lower streets, and hearing the term imitation meat, the crowd didn¡¯t delve further and started to leave. Just then, the mysterious young man shaking the severed leg instantly locked eyes with someone in the crowd. ¡°Hey! Man! It really is you~ your body seems different from before!¡± Before Yi Chen could react, the young man¡¯s hand slid onto his shoulder like a snake, accompanied by an intense sense of danger¡­ a danger more acute than facing Mr. Li before. He felt like his body could explode at any moment. ¡°Jin, long time no see.¡± Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 82 Red Lotus Chapter 83: Chapter 82 Red Lotus I hadn¡¯t expected to meet again in such a special way after more than six months. [Jin] A gentleman from the same batch entering the city with Yi Chen, who had not managed to identify the Black Hand behind Green Lake Town, received an assessment score of [92], second only to Yi Chen. In terms of the number of Patients and initial infected ones he killed, he alone surpassed all other Assessors combined. Likewise, his selection of the Black Letter had led his gentleman training to diverge significantly, not attending the Omphalo-Centric-Academy but undergoing a confidential, special training oriented towards Executioner training. Yi Chen had always been curious about what Jin¡¯s Profession really was. Eight months had passed, and Yi Chen¡¯s physique had undergone a fundamental change, and his brain had also grown. Even so, when Jin¡¯s hand slid onto his shoulder, the sense of danger was still present, even stronger than during their last meeting, prompting Yi Chen to instinctively shake his shoulder and move away. ¡°Still so sensitive~ I just wanted to check your new Physical form. Well~ Although it was a brief contact, I can feel that your body is completely different from before, that¡¯s more like it~ You didn¡¯t look strong at all back then.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯ve ordered a large batch of goods in this shop, and I was just inspecting them. The quality of this batch was very high, and an uncontrolled explosion happened accidentally. Are you interested in taking a look inside?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen now had plenty of time, and he was also very curious about what Jin was actually doing. Stepping into the shop, shattered by the explosion, his eyes immediately filled with various scattered limbs, more precisely, ¡°Artificial Flesh,¡± with two large boxes also piled up with similar limb-like Artificial Flesh in the depths of the shop. ¡°Artificial Flesh¡± This term, Yi Chen had read about it in the Library. Some professions, particularly those of gentlemen or gentleman¡¯s pets involved in curing or hunting, might require human flesh. As this went against a gentleman¡¯s character, a substitute gradually appeared in the market ¨C ¡°Artificial Flesh.¡± It had the same taste and texture as real flesh, and even some very particular pets that could only feed on human flesh accepted¡ªand even preferred¡ªthis kind of flesh. There were two theories regarding the origin of ¡°Artificial Flesh¡±: 1. A gentleman who had received the Purple Letter, and whose Profession was related to ¡°Flesh,¡± could produce Artificial Flesh in large quantities daily. 2. Derived from the bodies of Patients, some of whose bodies were so severely damaged that they could not be cremated for Crystal, even the bodies of some initial infected were bought at low prices. After special treatment that confirmed they did not carry Pathological Traits, it was marketed as ¡°Artificial Flesh¡± circulating in the lower streets. This Artificial Flesh was not cheap, a single hand or leg could probably cost several silver coins. For someone like Jin to buy several large boxes at once, he must be a major customer. A small, busy shop owner was picking up scattered limbs from the ground, and concerning the explosion and the damage to the shop, he hadn¡¯t said a word¡­ probably because he dared not speak. Jin squatted down, tilting his head towards the owner, ¡°Mr. Fabio, I¡¯m truly sorry for blowing up your shop like this, I will pay for the damages.¡± Upon hearing Jin say this, the diminutive owner trembled, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, why should you pay! You¡¯re a major customer here; it¡¯s just some minor damage. Just give me a moment, and I¡¯ll rebox them right away.¡± ¡°Right! Prepare three¡­ no, four boxes of this quality of ¡®synthetic meat¡¯ for me in three months.¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± All three large boxes were packed by the boss and were all hoisted onto one of Jin¡¯s shoulders. Jin¡¯s physique was similar to Yi Chen¡¯s, maybe even a bit slimmer and shorter, yet he easily carried the boxes that far exceeded his own weight. ¡°Need any help?¡± Yi Chen kindly asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that heavy. If you really want to help, why not go to my room so I can thoroughly inspect your new body and whatever emblem you¡¯re hiding?¡± Yi Chen immediately gestured a ¡®no¡¯ with his hand. ¡°Boring man.¡± Yi Chen immediately switched to the topic he wanted to know about, ¡°Jin, what do you need so much synthetic meat for?¡± ¡°To use it, what else?¡± ¡°How will you use it?¡± ¡°However I want to use it¡­¡± Jin shrugged lightly, and a severed leg flew straight out from the topmost box, which he caught in one swoop. Following that, a series of red lines spread through the synthetic meat at the spot where his fingers pinched, even weaving into odd patterns of Red Lotus flowers beneath the skin. At that instant, Yi Chen sensed a danger similar to when touched by Jin; all the plant life within his body began to move, autonomously weaving an explosion-resistant mesh structure beneath his skin The direct sensation transmitted to Yi Chen was¡ª¡¯this leg is going to explode¡¯. At that moment, Jin was about to make a throwing gesture with the leg in his hand toward a busy crossroad filled with people. ¡°Hey! Jin!¡± Yi Chen instinctively wanted to stop him, but Jin had already tossed it first. However, by the time the realistic throwing motion was completed, the severed leg was still in Jin¡¯s grasp. ¡°Hahaha! Look how nervous you are. You didn¡¯t think I¡¯m a reckless madman, did you? If I were to blow up a crowd of gentlemen without any reason, the higher-ups would execute me directly. Just because I broke a waste¡¯s limbs, they keep bothering me; I don¡¯t want to waste my time on such boring matters. I don¡¯t feel very inclined toward dying just yet¡ªafter all, the ¡®Organization¡¯ still amuses me, and there are many more interesting things to do than dying.¡± After speaking, the red lines flowing through the leg returned to Jin¡¯s body, and with a flip, he made the leg drop back into the box. ¡°Is this your Professional Characteristic? No¡­ ¡®Pathological Trait¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Quite smart, huh~ Correct! With the organization¡¯s help, I burned my father¡¯s pathological body and obtained a quite special red crystal. Then I swallowed it without hesitation, making it a part of me, ¡®Pathological Trait ¨C Red Lotus¡¯.¡± The word ¡®father¡¯ made Yi Chen¡¯s face change suddenly. Seeing this, Jin immediately stepped forward and added: ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. A beast like my father doesn¡¯t deserve any pity.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t ask anything further, likely understanding some of it and quickly redirected the topic, ¡°By the way, using these limbs as remote weapons seems quite cumbersome to carry around, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Wait till we get back to my place; a little processing will make them very portable. Are you coming? I live alone now!¡± A curiosity stemming from deep within made Yi Chen nod, and even the little grape raised both hands in agreement, showing interest in an outsider for the first time. ¡°Alright then! Just to be clear, I¡¯m only going to see how you process this ¡®synthetic meat¡¯; we don¡¯t need to do anything else.¡± Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Jins Profession Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Jin¡¯s Profession Street District ¨C Upper Layer Here lies an area neatly planned, with straight roads and various signposts indicating the direction to the ¡°Temporary Accommodation Area¡±. Every gentleman arriving in Zion is entitled to one year¡¯s free residence (if enrolled in the Omphalo-Centric Academy, the free residence period will be extended for the duration of boarding schooling). After one year, monthly rent must be paid, The initial rent is very cheap, and if the residing gentleman completes a task each month, the rent will remain unchanged¡­ If a task is not completed in a given month, the rent will increase by 30%, with no upper limit. Due to the dormitory assault incident last time, Jin is currently living alone. He pulled out a long key and inserted it into the lock. Click! The door to the room in the top corner was opened, and a strange smell immediately spilled out from inside, The source of this odor was definitely not from a lack of regular cleaning but rather like someone had died in there, and not just a day or two ago. ¡°I¡¯ve been outside recently, almost a week since I last returned~ The smell is a bit heavy, don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen laid a plant-based filter network in his nostrils the instant he detected the foul odor. One room, one living room, one bathroom, The ¡®decorative style¡¯ here might somewhat reflect Jin¡¯s personality. The walls of the living room, the top, and even the ground were all painted with pure white wall paint, The mattress that should have been in the bedroom was thrown into a corner of the living room, with no sheets, quilts, or pillows. Aside from this mattress, there was nothing else in the living room. The vague outline of a figure seeping through the top of the mattress suggested that this is where Jin usually slept. ¡°Jin, don¡¯t you have accommodations at your training place?¡± ¡°Yeah, but the space there is quite limited, it¡¯s all dormitories¡­ I don¡¯t like living with boring guys. Of course, you¡¯re an exception. Do you want to move out of your shabby school and live with me?¡± Yi Chen quickly surveyed the poor environment before him, ¡°I still have a lot to do in the academy, and there¡¯s a tutor specifically responsible for physical training, so I won¡¯t move out for the time being.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pity~ Come on, let me show you my crafting room.¡± Following Jin¡¯s lead, his gaze turned to the bedroom door, which was tightly locked¡­ The foul smell was seeping out right along the door gap. The wooden door had been replaced with a security-grade high metal door, and as Jin pulled out another key to open the door, a disquieting scene was revealed. The bedroom, which should have been used for resting, had been transformed into a special extraction room. The source of the stench was a large black cauldron that had been boiling for a full week, with its internal substance already turned into meat paste, There was also a special mechanical device, resembling a combination of a meat grinder and a compressor, powered by electricity, seemingly able to process imitation meat into ¡°Compressed Meat Cubes¡±. There was also a larger workbench, equipped with scales and rulers, its purpose unknown. ¡°Has it been boiling for a week? The consistency should be about ready by now.¡± Jin skillfully connected a withdrawal tube, extracted the meat paste for filtration and centrifugation, and then suspended the clear liquid for sampling, discarding the rest as waste. She hurriedly produced a series of exquisite and special meat juice injectors, storing them inside her clothing and backpack. ¡°I suppose this is something only you can make use of?¡± Yi Chen asked. ¡°Yep, apart from some secret medicines, I¡¯m not interested in the drugs available on the market¡­ These homemade meat injection shots allow me to kill efficiently, thus earning more money, and then buy more meat to make more shots,¡± she replied. ¡°Does your profession have something to do with meat?¡± When Yi Chen posed this question, Jin immediately closed the gap with an Instant Step, pinning him against the bedroom door. ¡°It seems you¡¯re really interested~ Do you want to see my Professional Emblem? I remember I once mentioned, it¡¯s hidden in a rather deep place. If you¡¯ll show me yours¡­ I¡¯ll show you mine, what do you think?¡± Yi Chen did not outright refuse this time but instead pointed to the back of his head with his finger. ¡°My emblem is in here, Profession ¨C [Student].¡± ¡°An emblem carved between the brain? Wow, I¡¯d really like to open it up and take a look¡­ My emblem is right here.¡± Speaking, Jin slightly lifted the colorful mask, revealing a rather pointed and fair chin, along with soft, light red lips. As the lips parted, a tongue longer than normal unfurled, curving¡­ when the curled tongue fully extended, an emblem was branded at the concealed root of the tongue. The emblem was actually a human body proportion diagram with such detail that every single muscle and blood vessel distribution could withstand scrutiny. The tongue retracted, the mask was put back on, ¡°You see¡­ my profession is called ¡®Human Body Weapons Master,¡¯ which fits perfectly with my Pathological Traits. It seems that I¡¯m the only one in the organization with this profession currently. The tutor said that there might have been one decades ago, but he was executed by the organization for committing a serious crime.¡± ¡°Human Body Weapons Master.¡± Yi Chen silently repeated this special term, sensing the strong aggressiveness and danger from within the words. ¡°The last mission used up quite a bit of the needles and chunks of flesh¡­ still couldn¡¯t collect a ¡®Patient¡¯s physical body¡¯ that satisfied me, never had the chance to make a long-term weapon I¡¯m truly satisfied with, it¡¯s really tough. Right! William, you were just moving around in the lower streets, were you planning to go to Gentleman Hall for a mission? I happen to be free recently, how about we team up and pick some special missions?¡± ¡°Special missions?¡± ¡°Yes, those that obviously seem amiss, likely to lead to death¡­ if we¡¯re lucky, we may encounter some unexpected Pathological Phenomena early, it will be very interesting.¡± Under normal rational circumstances, Yi Chen would choose to refuse. But today, for some reason, perhaps the thrill of a brand new weapon, perhaps the ceaseless urging of the little grape within, perhaps some inherent nature within Yi Chen was slowly emerging, ¡°Let¡¯s first see if there are any suitable missions.¡± ¡°Wait for me a second, since I currently don¡¯t have a suitable long-term weapon, I need to prepare as many makeshift weapons as possible.¡± Speaking, Jin began to process the faux meat he had just bought, ten pieces per group, after sending them through a meat grinder and then compressing them, creating ¡®Compressed Meat Cubes¡¯ the size of sugar cubes, which he packed into specially made metal boxes. When needed, simply pressing a button on the metal box would pop out a piece. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jin adjusted his colorful suit, which was starkly different from the initial outfit he wore upon entering the city, randomly splattered with various paints. The custom suit Mr. Ivan made for him employed a colorful pattern design; although it was equally extravagant and overall messy, it had a sort of implicit constrictive sensation. Moreover, Jin¡¯s suit seemed to have been ¡®upgraded with additional materials¡¯ many times, with a very high Skin Content. Following Jin through the district¡¯s streets, Yi Chen soon realized something was amiss with the direction they were taking. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to Gentleman Hall?¡± ¡°Why go there? Those nanny-level tasks for New Recruits are just not interesting at all. Let me take you to a good place, where we occasionally offer some special missions, let¡¯s try our luck.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Yi Chen did not refuse. He was well aware of what ¡®our place¡¯ Jin was referring to. He himself was very interested in the ¡®unit¡¯ Jin belonged to and was keen to see this secret area that specially cultivated the ¡®Black Letter¡¯ elect, the Executioner¡¯s greenhouse. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Cesimani Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Cesimani ¡°` Following Jin¡¯s lead, Yi Chen arrived at the upper streets he had never set foot in before, At the end of the street, there was a very strange bridge with many small, pitch-black masked sculptures on both sides of the bridge. ¡°Beyond this bridge is Gethsemane,¡± Jin said. Yi Chen had also crafted a plant mask in advance to hide his face. ¡°Jin, are you sure I can go to your training ground?¡± Yi Chen asked. ¡°Let¡¯s try. I will explain our current team relationship to the instructor¡­ After all, among the people from my batch or the one before, temporarily, there¡¯s no one willing to team up with me. Special circumstances require special measures, right?¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± As the two crossed the bridge, the scene before them was unexpectedly an orchard with a dense distribution of oddly shaped fruit trees, and gentlemen with their eyes covered in black cloth who were carefully tending to these trees. ¡°What are these?¡± Yi Chen inquired. Jin said with disdain, ¡°These are just pitiful guys who have very poor self-control and let the desire for killing dominate their main emotions. After all, our place is specifically for training¡­slaughterers.¡± Jin suddenly stretched out his right hand and drew a couple of slices across Yi Chen¡¯s neck. ¡°The assignments arranged here mainly involve ¡®superfast killing.¡¯ Some people indulge in the banal pleasure of killing during the task. Therefore, a mental review is conducted every two weeks, and those who do not pass are made to wear a black cloth blindfold and sent to tend to the orchard until the instructor allows them to return to training. Just to make it clear! There¡¯s nothing wrong with my review.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Yi Chen nodded, understanding the necessity of this procedure. Those special gentlemen choosing the Black Letters carry out assassination tasks to eliminate the Pathogens in the dark¡­ They all have, to a greater or lesser extent, certain tendencies for killing. After all, Yi Chen had also come across a black envelope during the Letter Selection, he just hadn¡¯t chosen it. And he himself had a certain longing and impulse for killing; otherwise, he would not have requested that Professor Qian Bosen arrange physical training for him. Yi Chen was well aware that once he gave in to these desires, his thoughts would likewise become corrupted. To ensure an independent and noble mind during a killing spree, special measures must be taken. Such cultivation and care of the trees might calm their minds for self-reflection. However, when Yi Chen saw these gentlemen with black cloth over their eyes, he immediately thought of his own physical tutor, Hogni Zed. The two arrived in front of a small cabin deep in the orchard, where an old man with a prosthetic limb and blindfolded eyes sat on a wooden chair with his legs crossed, a homemade pinecone cigarette dangling from his mouth, blocking the entrance. Approaching the old man, Jin made a rare bowing gesture, ¡°Mr. Beigus, I¡¯ve brought a new teammate, ready to pick up some assignments from the instructor.¡± The words of the old man came out with the smoke rings: ¡°Is it allowed from below?¡± ¡°When we go down, we will inform the instructor,¡± Jin replied. The old man stood up, his collapsed and wrinkly nose slightly sniffing in front of Yi Chen. ¡°A recipient of the First Gentleman, mixed with the stench of minced flesh and blood¡­ Fill out this confidentiality agreement, don¡¯t cause me trouble, and report to the instructor immediately after you go down.¡± The old man handed over a yellowed piece of paper with various prohibitions written on it. As a ¡®Foreign Visitor,¡¯ Yi Chen was strictly forbidden from revealing anything he saw below, and his activity area was strictly limited; any violation would subject him to brainwashing. As Yi Chen signed the agreement, the old man also moved aside his chair, inside the cabin was just a solitary closed lift leading underground, carrying the two of them to the fully enclosed lower area, completely isolated from the ¡°street district.¡± There was just this one entrance throughout the entirety of Zion. ¡°Gethsemane ¨C The Greenhouse for Executioners¡± was a training field built by the organization specifically for the gentlemen who chose the Black Letter. When the elevator reached the bottom level, a narrow stone corridor came into view, with various secret doors on both sides, through which one could faintly hear the sounds of tearing, metal clashing, and even screams. Each secret door might correspond to a special training room. Under Jin¡¯s guidance, they rushed through the maze-like corridors until they arrived at a profound and solitary corridor, ¡°` The end of the hallway was marked by the sole secret door, accompanied by a torch. Just as the two approached the secret door, a mature female voice immediately emanated from behind the wall. ¡°Come in,¡± she said. By turning the torch at the entrance, Jin opened the secret door. Surprisingly, the inside revealed a rather spacious office, dominated by a gray and white color scheme. A barefoot woman stood in front of a display case at the edge of the wall, wearing a white shirt with a black tie, a gray plaid skirt that reached below her knees, and black thigh-high stockings. She moved with a slow and gentle gait, admiring and neatly arranging her unique collection of ¡°finger specimens¡± within the showcase. Her shoulder-length blond hair was tied into a ponytail, and she held in one hand a pair of round glasses with a golden frame, thoroughly examining each finger. Using the glass surface of the specimens as a mirror, she glanced at the two people entering the door. ¡°Mr. Beigus actually let you bring a foreigner down here, huh? Speak! What is it you want?¡± she inquired. Jin casually placed his elbow on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, and with his other hand made an exaggerated arrow gesture, ¡°William here scored a strong 96 on the Gentleman¡¯s assessment, and it just so happens we¡¯re from the same class. We bumped into each other on the street earlier and decided to team up on the spur of the moment to tackle some more challenging missions for fun.¡± The woman did not respond but continued to organize the specimens. Only after she had finished arranging all of the specimens did she slowly turn around. Her face appeared just over thirty and was exceptionally well-maintained; however, her light green eyes never once looked directly at the pair. It was not until she sat back at her desk that she slowly directed her gaze towards them, the mere instant of eye contact causing Yi Chen to feel extremely uncomfortable. ¡°Have you brought your personal information?¡± she asked. ¡°Just a moment.¡± Yi Chen actually had prepared a personal resume in his briefcase, just in case. When the woman browsed the only recorded mission on it, her expression shifted, the keywords ¡®killing a Severe Patient¡¯ and ¡®contact with Open Source Patients without being affected¡¯ sparked her interest in the young man before her. However, she noticed an issue. ¡°It seems you took half a year¡¯s leave before undertaking the ¡®Secret Medicine Recovery¡¯ mission. Why is that?¡± she questioned. ¡°I received special ¡®Physical training¡¯ at the academy, which took up an entire half year.¡± ¡°Physical¡­¡± The woman could tell just by observing the details of his physical motions that Yi Chen¡¯s physique was quite extraordinary. ¡°Omphalo-Centric Academy is full of bookworms, and even if they aren¡¯t, they¡¯re just brutes with brute strength, which doesn¡¯t match your physique at all¡­ Who taught you?¡± she probed. ¡°Teacher Zede,¡± he answered. At this, the woman¡¯s expression dramatically changed, and she sat up straight, ¡°Hogni Zed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That blind man isn¡¯t dead yet? I recall he caused the death of many students a few years ago and was tried by the organization, later to be imprisoned by the academy for some reason. How did you come into contact with him?¡± ¡°Professor Qian Bosen arranged it for me¡­ Currently, Teacher Zede only contacts me in private.¡± No sooner had he spoken, when a slim leg, barely seen in motion, hung in front of Yi Chen, the foot, wrapped in black mesh, struck his chest with a crack! Ribs shattered. Yi Chen spiraled through the air, slamming against the wall with such force that the entire office shook. The woman, who had completed the superfast kick, still maintained the single-handed support on the desk, her body parallel to the ground in a side-kick pose. She retracted her long leg slowly and evenly, landing gracefully in front of her desk. All the while, she surveyed the young man who had been kicked into the corner and might have fainted. Unexpectedly, Yi Chen simply patted his chest, standing up unbothered and even smiling¡­ He seemed to not care at all about his broken ribs, and there was even a hint of pleasure in his response to the kick. ¡°In just half a year, your physique has already transformed. Are you even crazier than that madman Zede?¡± Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Investigation Mission Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Investigation Mission [Belli Herta] A senior officer of Cesimani, with a hobby of ¡°collecting fingers,¡± whether they belong to humans or patients, any distinctive fingers could become part of her collection. Her disciples often brought back fingers to please her during their missions, and if they could satisfy Belli, they might even receive some extra rewards. Before becoming an officer, she had also trained at Cesimani, coincidentally, Zede was in the same class as her, and they even had a good private relationship and had teamed up before, but eventually, they embarked on drastically different paths. Now, when she saw a disciple trained by Zede, she couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about some past events, which made her no longer averse to this young man who was not from Cesimani. When Yi Chen came back, she casually handed him a bottle of healing potion and asked, ¡°How has Zede been doing recently?¡± ¡°Although confined to the basement of the teaching building, as long as he desires something, the academy will satisfy him. He can even conduct various physical experiments, continuing his exploration of the physical. Such treatment makes him unconcerned about ¡®imprisonment.¡¯ He is currently not only conducting physical training for me, but also responsible for teaching ¡®Pathology¡¯ to our class.¡± Hearing this, a tinge of melancholy flashed across Belli¡¯s light green eyes. ¡°It¡¯s better than I imagined, pity¡­ This guy¡¯s eyes are ruined, otherwise he could have gone much further, not confined to Zion.¡± ¡°You have a good relationship with teacher Zede?¡± Belli gave Yi Chen a ¡®be quiet¡¯ look, putting an end to the topic, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about things between you now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Yi Chen sat down at the desk, Belli immediately grabbed his right hand and examined the form of his five fingers using a monocle, reading the information they contained. ¡°Worked in a cemetery before, never had any hand care. However, the proportions of the finger joints are suitable, nail thickness is moderate, blood color uniform¡­ Upper-middle class fingers, barely acceptable.¡± When Belli released his hand, Yi Chen quickly withdrew his palm, worried she might suddenly cut off one of his fingers as a collection. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t take fingers from living people.¡± Belli then pulled open the second drawer on the right side of the desk. She took out a stack of black files and, after careful selection, pulled out one of the documents. ¡°There aren¡¯t many ¡®troubles¡¯ to handle recently, there¡¯s only this one suitable for you.¡± Receiving the black file, Yi Chen saw a type of mission format completely different from Gentleman Hall, the first line of the document did not indicate the name of the mission but used keywords instead. ¡ª¡ª Keywords: [Forest], [Church], [Investigation & Slaughter], [Grayification], [Team action] Introduction: Located in Jose Valley, Shepherd Village surfaced a few months ago with a group of small organizations that received the villagers¡¯ support and established churches in the valley, self-declared as the ¡°New Life Church.¡± The first few months were uneventful, and the village still complied with the rules set by the Organization, even increasing the quantity of agricultural products and meat submitted every month. Until two weeks ago, the trees around the village grew overnight into a structure resembling walls, completely cutting off all outside contact. They continue to grow even now, affecting the entire ecology of Jose Valley. The Organization has dispatched some gentlemen to temporarily station outside Jose Valley, initiating an investigation into the unusual conditions in the forest. The area surrounded by the tree wall has undergone grayification and even shows clear tendencies of evolving into a Grey Zone. Please head to the [Black Eye Outpost] in Jose Valley, cooperate with the gentleman squad stationed there, ascertain the situation of the village and church organization, bring back crucial clues, and attempt to eradicate the source of grayification. Subsequent reward will be based on the difficulty of the event. ¡ª¡ª No mission name or difficulty is provided, just operational instructions. According to the geographical books Yi Chen had previously seen, the so-called Jose Valley is located about three to four hundred kilometers from Zion, a valley surrounded by mountains, rich in diverse flora and fauna, alongside some more primitive village tribes. However, with the beginning of the Disease Era, most villages began to decline, and some small villages were even ¡°emptied¡± within a few days, with no one in sight. Only a very few large villages still barely existed, but the population continued to decrease, until the Organization intervened and established related ¡°Rules¡± for the villages, allowing the villagers to finally avoid grayification and death to some extent, and barely continue living in the villages. The villages handed over 10% of their livestock and agricultural products to Zion each year in exchange for the Gentlemen¡¯s indirect protection. ¡­ Yi Chen whispered, ¡°The New Church¡­ are the numbers and related situations unclear?¡± Belli propped up her long legs, sharpening her fingernails with a small knife. ¡°I¡¯m not going to provide such boring and tedious information here. When you reach the Black Eye base, ask the gentleman responsible for investigating this matter there. However, those people are truly useless, spending so much time and still unable to resolve this matter, forcing us Cesimani to arrange for personnel to go and support them. If you two had not come today, this task would have been assigned to someone else.¡± At this moment, Jin suddenly threw out a strange question: ¡°Teacher, have any Gentlemen died in this forest or inside a village?¡± ¡°Two Gentleman Teams lost contact completely while conducting internal investigations after transcending the tree wall; whether they died or not, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Lost contact¡­interesting.¡± Jin¡¯s question was just this one, and he even seemed to become a bit excited. Yi Chen still had some considerations and requests. ¡°Could you provide us with the ¡®Rules¡¯ of Shebolt Village?¡± ¡°You can directly pick up a copy of the relevant rules at Gentleman Hall; if you don¡¯t want to waste time, head straight for the Black Eye base, where they definitely have a backup of the relevant rules. If there are no problems, you can set out now.¡± Jin had already become restless, tugging at Yi Chen¡¯s sleeve and pulling him towards the door. Just then, Belli suddenly added, ¡°Hold on a moment, Jin~ you go outside first. I need to talk alone with William, especially since this is his first time executing a task on our side.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jin waved his little hand, bidding a temporary farewell to Yi Chen. As the dark door closed, Yi Chen only felt his tie being grabbed and he was pulled towards the desk. Teacher Belli¡¯s face was almost close to his, ¡°I just want to remind you that the youngsters who teamed up with Jin recently, even those who are a year senior, invariably got injured and rather severely; the worst case resulted in death. Sometimes she can be extremely uncontrollable, and the area you are touching upon has already undergone deep grayification and may even turn into the Grey Zone during your investigation. If she engages in reckless behavior with a tendency toward proactively touching upon the danger of death, you need to actively intervene. If you can come back intact, the two of you can work as long-term partners, and I will offer my support. Jin is one of the most talented individuals with the ¡®Executioner Talent¡¯ that I have ever seen; the only thing lacking is ¡®controllability¡¯¡­ I hope you can become the most important ¡®control gear¡¯ inside her.¡± ¡°Since I have chosen to work with Jin, I will do my best.¡± ¡°Mm~ Also, when you have time, send my regards to Zede, if that guy still remembers me.¡± ¡°No problem! Miss Belli, do you know what happened to Mr. Zede¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Once deep in the Grey Zone, this guy paid a painful price without considering the consequences¡­ However, because of his madness, including me, the rest of the team members were able to survive. Stop talking and hurry up and set out.¡± Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Taking a Ride Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Taking a Ride For this type of support mission, one only needed to reach the ¡°Black Eye Stronghold¡± to get the relevant information from the gentlemen stationed there beforehand, without wasting time in the city. Before departing, Yi Chen still returned to the academy, to inform his first tutor, Professor Qian Bosen, about the contact with Cesimani and the mission details. After learning that Instructor Beili was in charge of this matter, Qian Bosen did not say much, only reminding him of one thing: ¡°The tasks associated with Cesimani often come with a great deal of killing. I don¡¯t have an orchard here, nor do I have time to let you, William, engage in planting to suppress the malice of killing in your heart. I believe you won¡¯t be enslaved by the act of killing and will be able to find a balance.¡± After saying goodbye to Professor Qian Bosen, Yi Chen immediately went to the dungeon deep within the teaching building to convey Beili¡¯s words to Teacher Zede. Upon hearing this name, Teacher Zede¡¯s body slightly fluctuated, and his speech wasn¡¯t as aggressive as usual, even becoming somewhat ¡®normal.¡¯ ¡°Beili¡­ she must be doing quite well now? Her ¡®Murder Skill¡¯ was the best among our batch, only too concerned with some unnecessary details, otherwise, she might have been better than me.¡± ¡°Yes, she is currently serving as an instructor in Cesimani.¡± ¡°Training executioners? That does suit her well.¡± For a moment, Zede seemed to recall some past events, but quickly suppressed them, sticking out his tongue to start instructing his most admired student. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be involved with an executioner¡¯s task so soon. At that time, a great deal of killing will inevitably occur. You must not reject the torn organs and splattered blood; they are just another expression of the Physical. You are merely helping those degenerate folks to display their ¡®inner beauty,¡¯ and often, they will be grateful to you after seeing the true beauty of themselves. Go and observe this process, enjoy this process, savor this process. Gradually transform killing into an inner enlightenment, and eventually look back to appreciate yourself¡­ This will help you understand your own body better. I did nothing but observe the structure of corpses and it increased my Physique value a little. With your talent, you are bound to gain something. Forget about any theory on ¡®indulging in killing¡¯¡­ you just need to do what you believe is right.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Go ahead, remember to kill a few more, and don¡¯t disgrace me, a former Main Doctor.¡± ¡­ Yi Chen spent half a day preparing various supplies and medicines. He tied his hair and straightened his collar, adjusted his sleeve garters and tie, adjusted his waistband and polished his shoes, hooked a crow oil lamp to his waist, Picked up the black suitcase marked by the Forge, and headed to the Zion City Gate where the horse carriages gather. The assignment arranged by Cesimani came without any auxiliary services, and travelling to the mission location needed to be figured out on one¡¯s own. Jin had already booked a special carriage, and was already getting a bit impatient waiting. ¡°You¡¯re really slow¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I got slightly delayed back at the academy. Jin, this carriage you rented must be expensive, right?¡± Yi Chen was somewhat surprised by the luxurious carriage in front of him, decorated with various dark metal trimmings and overall possessing a covert feel, drawn by three improved breed black horses, with the lead horse¡¯s feather-like muscle distribution clearly visible, almost as if it could take off flying. Moreover, the carriage space, compared to the one they took to the Twilight Clinic last time that seated four, was much larger. Opening the door, he was surprised to find there were two soft beds inside, and a clover-shaped, hollowed-out, adjustable kerosene lamp hanging from the top, providing illumination for the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s a bit expensive, but the organization will reimburse some of it. With the rest, as long as we complete the mission well, the reward in silver coins will be more than enough. To live in such a world, we must enjoy it well, we could die at any moment, and if we still have to worry about money, it¡¯s just too boring. Hurry up and get on~ The destination is a bit far, and even if we leave now, we¡¯ll only arrive tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The luxurious coach quickly drove out of the Zion City Gate, carrying the two towards the [Black Eye Base] in Jose Valley. The carriage used special isolation materials and was equipped with top-level shock absorbers, so even though the wheels rolled over steep cliffs, it was almost impossible to feel much vibration, making it quite quiet inside. Yi Chen, as usual when riding, sat upright by the window, while Jin had already taken off his shoes and coat and lay on the bed, he even unbuckled his belt and took off his entire pair of trousers, hanging them along with the coat on the coat rack provided in the carriage. Two legs, not very fair but perfectly long and proportioned, suddenly crashed into Yi Chen¡¯s field of vision, and he avoided them as much as possible. One thing was very strange, even though Jin seemed very casual, treating the coach like her own bedroom. She still wore a colorful mask, showing no intention of taking it off. Perhaps like Zede, some facial organ was permanently stripped away, or there was some very special reason. Yi Chen naturally didn¡¯t ask too much about it. Just then, Jin, who had already laid down, suddenly sat up cross-legged. ¡°I think I slept a bit too much yesterday, now I can¡¯t sleep at all¡­ hey~ William, why don¡¯t you tell me about your last mission or some strange tales from the academy?¡± Yi Chen had wanted to refuse, but thinking about the luxury of the coach ride, he finally agreed to Jin¡¯s request and briefly talked about the process of Secret Medicine Recovery. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t divulge the secrets of the Clinic. ¡°Wow! Did you guys kill that severely Pathological gentleman¡­ those guys called Edmund are pretty impressive too! Next time let me meet them, perhaps we could become good friends. What happened after that? Did it end?¡± When Yi Chen mentioned that it was all Moon Scar manipulating behind the scenes, and when he met the real Moon Scar in person, Jin, who was sitting on her own bed, upon hearing the word Open Source, immediately jumped over excitedly. She instantly subdued Yi Chen¡¯s limbs, pinning him down on the bed. Her mask pressed against him as she sniffed around him, trying to catch the scent of Open Source. ¡°Gentleman Hall¡¯s mission actually let you come into contact with an Open Source patient? That¡¯s too thrilling!¡± ¡°A freak chance, I just happened upon it.¡± Jin seemed to smell a peculiar scent, while swaying her finger in front of Yi Chen: ¡°Not necessarily~ It might be a minor event for others, but William, you indeed emit a unique scent. Although I can¡¯t specify what [scent] it is, I can perceive it as the subtle feeling when we first met. It was this fragrance that made me quite interested the first time I saw you, completely different from other boring guys. Maybe the Open Source patient sniffed this fragrance too before he decided to show himself¡­ If that¡¯s the case, using your special scent, William, we might quickly draw out the formidable person hiding behind.¡± Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Temporary Stronghold Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Temporary Stronghold A night passed. It must be said, the money was well spent, especially for tasks located far from Zion City. Being able to fully replenish one¡¯s mental state during the ride was essential. The next day, Yi Chen, still not fully awake from his dreams, suddenly felt a stinging sensation from the plants inside his body and jolted upright. After waking up, not only did the sensation not fade, it became even more pronounced. Even quite a few plant seedlings were drilling out from his pores, as if warning him of something. Jin was still sleeping, one long leg stacked on top of the other, with saliva continuously oozing out through the gaps in her mask. Trying not to disturb her rest, Yi Chen went to the front end of the carriage and pushed open the window to ask the coachman wearing a steel mask. ¡°Excuse me, have we already entered Jose Valley?¡± ¡°We just arrived a minute ago, can you feel the abnormality here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ The plants here are very unusual.¡± ¡°Hm, the sound from the hoofs of the horses is also clearly different each time they hit the ground. I hope you can handle the situation here quickly. If it continues worsening, a high-rank gentleman from the organization will have to deal with it. In half an hour, we will arrive at the ¡®Black Eye Tower¡¯. You can start your pre-departure preparations now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Returning to his bed, Yi Chen sat cross-legged and adjusted the plants within his body, suppressing the discomfort. A little while later. The carriage took a hidden and steep mountain road, ascending a small hill. This hill, located in the southwest of Jose Valley, gave a rough overview of the forest below from the cliff, and naturally, one could also spy on the incident location ¨C Shebolt Village. At the top of the cliff, there were six tents emblazoned with the organization¡¯s mark, black in color, In the center stood a black, tower-shaped stele about six meters high, with the top carved with the pattern of an eye, which was perhaps the origin of the name ¡®Black Eye Tower¡¯, The final stretch of mountain road leading to the stronghold was lined with plenty of metal barricades, forcing the carriage to stop in advance. ¡°Jin, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Slish-slosh~ When Jin woke up, she skillfully sucked back the drool at the corner of her mouth, adjusted her mask, and slowly sat up, stretching and yawning. Her demeanor was careless, showing none of the tension one might expect before a mission. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived so early? I really slept too late yesterday~ I wish I could sleep for another half day.¡± She tied a skull-patterned tie over her red-patterned shirt, Pulled on trousers and casual leather shoes, And put on an extremely conspicuous, multicolored suit, Stepping down from the carriage, Jin, upon realizing there was no direct access to the stronghold, instantly lost her temper. ¡°We have to walk such a long distance? These useless people, having come here so much earlier, not only did nothing useful but also set up these pointless things, wasting our time.¡± Clang! Perhaps still a bit groggy from waking, Jin kicked the nearest metal barricade with her foot. The barricade, weighing hundreds of kilograms, was sent flying by the kick, the point of impact severely dented, tumbling down the slope. This kick startled Yi Chen considerably. ¡°Jin¡¯s strength, could it be comparable to Darkberg¡¯s? She seems to have a physique similar to mine, and even her legs look like they¡¯ve never been trained, yet she possesses such power. Is it because of her control over her physical body?¡± At this moment, the voice of the little grape echoed: ¡°It¡¯s not just simple control over the physical body; after all, William can also control his body. With that kick just now, I could feel a faint energy explosion. I suspect this human can perform ¡®controllable explosions¡¯ within her flesh to achieve instantaneous explosive power. Her control over her physical body, especially in terms of slaughter, is far superior to yours! This impressive human being is quite rare; you really should become good friends with her.¡± The little grape grew more and more excited as it spoke, almost drooling¡­ it might even be possible that if Yi Chen carelessly died, it would run over to Jin and call her sister. With the barricade destroyed, ¡°` A squad of Gentlemen stationed here immediately rushed over, Woof woof woof! The leader, who was also walking a two-headed dog as a pet, barked incessantly upon seeing Yi Chen. Little did they know, such behavior enraged the small grape. An eyeball emerged on its shoulder, and the dog immediately tucked its tail and hid behind its master. The leader of the Gentlemen sported a small mustache, the epitome of a standard brown morning suit, He recognized Yi Chen and Jin¡¯s identities and the reason for their visit at a glance¡­ A hint of helplessness, even self-denial, appeared on his face. ¡°Are you the supporters sent by Cesimani? We haven¡¯t even reported the difficulties we encountered here¡­ Has too much time passed?¡± Yi Chen took a step forward, bowed, and said, ¡°Yes, we are commissioned by Instructor Beili to assist with the matters concerning Shebolt Village and the New-born Church. William, she is my friend Jin.¡± ¡°I am Willmer, the temporary person in charge of the Black Eye Stronghold. Come with me.¡± The other party didn¡¯t mention the matter of the roadblock being destroyed, Even though the welcoming Yi Chen and Jin appeared to be in their twenties, he held no bias, but was filled with reverence for Cesimani. Upon entering the stronghold, The Gentlemen living in tents all poked their heads out, curiously observing the young reinforcements sent by Cesimani, They all had dark circles under their eyes to some extent, looked lethargic, and some were wrapped in bandages. The entire stronghold was devoid of life, and even a silent whisper of despair permeated the air. Willmer led the two to a cliff, pointing towards the woods in the middle of Jose Valley. ¡°That¡¯s the area we need to investigate. It¡¯s practically a natural fortress, one that grows and expands every day.¡± Yi Chen and Jin looked in the direction he pointed, In the central forest, a circular wall formed by densely growing trees enclosed the area where Shebolt Village was situated, approximately one-fifth of the entire forest. The top of the area surrounded by trees was also covered by dense branches and leaves, making it impossible to see inside. Moreover, The tree wall forming the blockade was still expanding outwards, Its thickness had already reached a horrifying several hundred meters. If the root cause Pathological destruction was not carried out soon, it would one day take over the entire Jose Valley. However, Yi Chen¡¯s expression remained unchanged. This kind of blockade structure related to plants shouldn¡¯t be a difficult challenge for him. ¡°Tell us in detail about your investigation progress during this time, and also provide us with a copy of Shebolt Village¡¯s ¡®Rule¡¯.¡± ¡°The progress is poor, with very little effective investigation data. Even with an ¡®Eye Tower¡¯, we can¡¯t glimpse into any situation inside. I¡¯m considering, if you two also can¡¯t conduct an effective investigation within three days, I will arrange for a group to return to Zion and request support from the high-rank Gentlemen.¡± This statement made Jin lose his temper and he immediately retorted: ¡°Don¡¯t compare us two with your bunch of incompetents¡­ If you don¡¯t have any useful information, just say it directly, it¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Surprisingly, Jin¡¯s words did not infuriate the other party. It seemed that Willmer, the temporary person in charge, on some level acknowledged his inability to handle the situation. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared the investigation materials yesterday, along with the rules of the village gathered in a file bag, you can take it directly¡­ I only ask for one thing. If you can successfully enter the blockade zone, please help find the two missing Gentlemen Teams, and bring them out if possible.¡± Yi Chen stepped in front of Jin to response to him amicably: ¡°Hmm, we will try our best to find the missing squads. If possible, we¡¯ll bring them back ahead of time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± While handing over the documents, Willmer deliberately lowered his voice, whispering to Yi Chen: ¡°Do you need us to provide a research team to enter the forest interior with you?¡± Yi Chen smiled in response: ¡°If you have the spare strength and confidence, you can choose to investigate concurrently with us. But, judging by the number of Gentlemen here and the state of everyone, it¡¯s best to stay here. As you said earlier, if we can¡¯t send back effective information within three days, report the situation here to Zion.¡± Upon leaving the stronghold, Yi Chen deliberately reached out and firmly patted the temporary person in charge¡¯s shoulder twice¡­ ¡°` Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Rules and High Walls (Asking for First Subscription on Release) Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Rules and High Walls (Asking for First Subscription on Release) Yi Chen had always been observing the so-called acting head, Willmer, whether in speech or behavior, and even the look in his eyes under various circumstances, all conveyed a sense of powerlessness. This sense of powerlessness, he had seen too much in the Orphanage when he was alive, many peers, after receiving special education and recognizing the true face of the Orphanage, would slowly have their clear eyes eroded by a lightless substance symbolizing ¡°powerlessness¡±, until it completely took over and evolved into ¡°Despair¡±. ¡°These gentlemen themselves are not lacking in quality, yet they have no courage to explore further¡­ the situation in the forest is indeed worse than imagined. I estimate that the two teams lost within the forest are the main forces of the Black Eye stronghold. They might still be alive; if we can find them during the exploration, we should be able to obtain more information, greatly reducing the investigation time.¡± Yi Chen quickly browsed through all the information provided by the stronghold within a minute, As the acting head said, the information was pitifully scant, lacking even details about the situation in Shebolt Village, the degree of Grayification, and its impact, let alone matters regarding the Church. There were only a few investigation reports about the Plant Control High Wall, which were enough to show that no Investigator who entered inside the tree wall had come out, unable to bring out any effective information. However, there were a few points worth noting about the Plant Control High Wall information. ¡°Infinite Growth¡±, ¡°Baby¡¯s Cry¡±, ¡°Blood-like Tree Juice¡± Yi Chen noted these keywords, then he proceeded to review the rules concerning Shebolt Village, These ¡°Rules¡± were written by high-rank gentlemen with foreknowledge abilities from Zion City, specifically tailored for certain regions, as long as these rules are followed in daily life, the likelihood of contracting diseases can be greatly reduced. The content is as follows: ¡ÚResidents of the village in Jose Valley shall follow these rules in daily life to ensure your safety¡Û 1. When villagers hunt in the forest area and the prey (mammalian animals) is found to be pregnant, please release it immediately. If the pregnant prey is already dead, burn it on the spot and bury the ashes under the nearest tree. Remember, each tree is allowed to be buried under once at most. 2. Domestic animals in the village must be strictly divided by gender, and breeding should only be chosen in the winter each year. If livestock becomes pregnant in an inappropriate season, or conceives without contact with the opposite sex, please deal with it in the same manner as Rule 1. *Villagers also need to follow Rule 2. 3. If you find animals with characteristics of other creatures in the forest or your own breeding area (e.g., cows with rabbit ears, pigs with sheep horns), they must be immediately put to death, burned, and buried. 4. Each village has only one well, located at the center of the village; all drinking water in the village must come from this well, and drinking water from unknown sources is forbidden. 5. All fruits, mushrooms, and other edible plants picked from the forest must be washed with well water before eating; fungi especially need to be cooked. It is strictly forbidden to pick fruits from trees where a burned body has been buried, and mushrooms growing nearby are also not to be harvested. 6. Before midnight, ensure that there is light in every home, such as a torch, fireplace, or kerosene lamp, etc.; if you need to go out, you also need to carry a lighting device. When passing by animal pens during the early morning, if you hear strange noises, do not respond; walk away immediately. If you see a creature without a light source greeting you, immediately hide back in your room and lock the doors and windows. 7. Once a villager is found not following the above rules and showing actions clearly different from normal, expel them from the village at the earliest opportunity. If necessary, proceed as with Rule 3. ¡­ Looking at these rather strange rules, Yi Chen was reminded of Easton Cemetery. ¡°As long as you live according to these rules, there is a great chance to avoid the invasion of Pathological.¡± This was also the fundamental reason why many human towns and villages still existed more than three hundred years after the world had entered the ¡°Disease Era¡±. The situation in Shebolt Village worsening in the short term was certainly not due to a coincidence made by the villagers. It was more likely the intervention of the newborn church that caused the villagers to stray from the Rule and even led them to actively defy it, resulting in the complete loss of control here.¡± While walking through the woods, Even before reaching the high wall structure made of trees, Yi Chen could still feel the anomaly in the woods, an eerie sensation as if something was watching him. Moreover, as a ¡°Vegetarian,¡± he had no interest in the vegetation in the woods and could smell a physiological stench emanating from the lower end of the bark. The closer they got to the center of the woods, the more intense the stink became, forcing Yi Chen to put on his homemade plant mask again. After several kilometers of trekking through the woods, they finally arrived at the [High Wall] that enclosed the heart of the forest. The magnitude of shock from a close observation far surpassed the view from the cliff, even generating a kind of biological instinct of awe. It seemed that under a highly unified command, thick and gigantic trunks were arranged orderly with less than ten centimeters between them, forming layers of walls whose thickness was unpredictable and height reached nearly a hundred meters. The wildly growing branches and dense leaves at the top blocked out all the scant sunlight, casting everything into darkness. Based on the existing information, these tree trunks were unburnable. Once they sensed the temperature of flames, the trunks would secrete a large amount of thick, sticky juice to cover and extinguish them. If the trunks were physically damaged, they would also rapidly regenerate with the help of surrounding trunks. Therefore, The first challenge they faced was ¡°transcending the tree wall¡±. Since the incident had occurred two weeks ago, the tree wall had been growing outward continuously, and its thickness had already exceeded a hundred meters¡­ It was very likely that they would get trapped while crossing the tree wall. This was also the main reason why the gentlemen in the stronghold had lost the courage to explore. And there was another key point, just as recorded. The two standing in front of the tree wall high up heard a very faint ¡®baby¡¯s cry¡¯. When Yi Chen touched the surface of the tree wall, the sound was immediately amplified several times¡­ It seemed as if the baby¡¯s cry was coming from inside the trunk, paired with the dark forest surroundings, it sent a chill down the spine. Jin, curious, also touched the trunk¡¯s surface. ¡°Oh? There really is a child crying, is it the effect of Grayification? Let me blow a path directly to the inside, what do you think?¡± In between words, streams of red energy, in the form of filaments, transferred from Jin¡¯s fingertips into the trunk, forming a Red Lotus-like pattern on the surface of the trunk, ready to explode at any moment. Snap! Yi Chen, however, gently stretched out his hand, placing it on the back of Jin¡¯s hand, very gently stopping this action. ¡°Jin, there is no need to waste energy on this, and we do not know the exact thickness of the tree wall, such an explosion would unnecessarily consume your energy¡­ let me do it.¡± Yi Chen spoke very tactfully. In reality, what he was most concerned about was ¡®alarming the enemy¡¯. A direct explosion like Jin¡¯s could potentially draw out all the dangers inside. Click~unlocking the suitcase clasps, he took out a pair of white gloves, painted with green Arrays, and put them on, gently tugging on the edges of the gloves with his index finger and thumb to make them fit perfectly on his wrists. As he lightly placed the palms of his left and right hands on the surface of adjacent trunks, the Array on the back of the gloves lit up with a bright green light. With an Intelligence Attribute reaching [5], combined with the Casting Gloves made from the Gentleman¡¯s Skin, Yi Chen could directly manipulate such a tree wall structure. ¡°Plant Control¡± The robust tree trunks began to expand and the space between them gradually widened until it was large enough for a person to pass through. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 89 Trees and Nutrients (2nd Update) Chapter 90: Chapter 89 Trees and Nutrients (2nd Update) The passage through the towering wall of trees was surprisingly smooth, except for the cries of a baby, there was nothing else to disturb them. As they delved deeper, Yi Chen became more adept, needing only to extend one hand forward to make the tree trunks in front of him move aside on their own. Moreover, during this process, Yi Chen gradually noticed the differences in these high-wall trees, The sap flowing in the trunks indeed mixed with a hint of blood, directly related to nutrients absorbed by their roots¡­ It was such peculiar nutrients that enabled them to form such abnormally high walls of hundreds of meters. As for Jin, he seemed as leisurely as if he were on vacation, following behind with even some spare time to chat. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so good at controlling plants¡­ are you planning to open a clinic in the future?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have such plans for now.¡± ¡°You¡¯d best not have such plans in the future either; clinics are merely tools for the organization to bind talents. Like me, minimizing contact with Zion as much as possible, once Zion¡¯s value is depleted, I will leave this place. Will you join me then?¡± ¡°Focus on the task at hand, Jin.¡± ¡°Boring man.¡± They threaded through the tree walls for over three hundred meters and finally peeled back the innermost layer of trunks. What greeted the two of them was neither a paradisiacal hideaway nor any relief from the clouds and sunshine¡­ instead, they arrived in an even darker, lightless inner area. The tops of the nearly hundred-meters-tall walls of trees grew in an equally abnormal fashion, dense, interwoven, and overlaid. Innumerable branches and leaves formed a ¡®cover,¡¯ enveloping everything inside the high walls. There was also a mist composed of particles from grayification, filling the gaps between the leaves and preventing any speck of sunlight from entering, creating an absolutely dark enclosed area. Ordinary people walking through such a forest for a few minutes would feel claustrophobia crawling over them like a reptile. Yi Chen lowered his head to observe the grayification aura flowing around his shoes, its concentration comparable to that of the Twilight Clinic, already at a later stage¡­ yet here, the covered area was larger, and the affected region deeper. Beings akin to the IV-drip Doctor or bandaged nurse, labeled as non-normality patients, might appear. Under the effect of grayification, The trees growing in the inner areas no longer stood tall but grew wildly and twisted at bizarre angles, The tree branches, like human arms, were covered with dark, dull leaves that seemed as skin adhered to and even embedded in the branches, looking quite eerie. Some trees, spurred by grayification, appeared extra ¡®obese¡¯; their middles swelled unbearably, A thick light green fluid incessantly oozed out, eventually seeping back into the soil to become nutrients once again. Moreover, The bark of the trees and the ground around them bore numerous and densely packed fungi. Among these, some larger fungi had tops that opened like mouths, capable of breathing like humans¡­ each movement exhaled spores that deepened the effects of grayification, promoting the mutation phenomenon in the forest. These floating gray spores also further obscured the vision, even limiting the reach of a kerosene lamp¡¯s light to about ten meters. Thanks to the presence of Little Grape, Yi Chen¡¯s visual range could still be doubled. Suddenly Little Grape telepathically communicated: ¡°Very potent~ This place isn¡¯t much better than the Twilight Clinic, William, you must be careful. If you¡¯re unlucky and encounter an Open Source patient, someone could really die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t curse, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Yi Chen stepped over to a tree that was oozing pathological fluids, putting his palm on the bark to feel the specifics inside. ¡°Hmm? A tumor?¡± Underneath the bark were indeed reddish cancerous masses, exactly such tumor structures causing the trunk to swell and ooze. Moreover, the surface of the tumors was connected by vascular bundle structures for fluid transportation, leading towards the base of the tree. ¡°It seems to be connected to something at the bottom end.¡± Who knew, Jin followed over, directly sampling the dense juice with her finger, tasting it on her tongue. ¡°There¡¯s a taste of blood and flesh! Indeed related to the roots? Let¡¯s see what the situation is.¡± Without any discussion with Yi Chen, Jin hugged the trunk with both arms, red filaments spreading across her arms¡­ Using explosive power, she forcibly pulled the tree out of the ground. Yi Chen did not stop her but watched the roots intently. The sight that met his eyes made his eyebrows furrow, feeling discomfort. The roots of the pulled-out tree, numerous plump, slippery tree roots were twisting on their own and rather than calling them roots, they were more like octopus tentacles. The living roots were quite active, even trying to reverse and dig into Jin¡¯s arms, but unfortunately, they weren¡¯t long enough¡­ ¡°What exactly are these roots sucking on?¡± Yi Chen moved the kerosene lamp to the entrance of the hole in the ground and peered down into the depths. A drop of cold sweat spilled over from his forehead, Within his field of vision, a ¡°juvenile¡± creature that could not be categorized by current biological standards was buried underneath, with limbs similar to those of humans, but of varying lengths, and structures like hooves and pads. Its body was covered with black fur, had nascent horns like those of a lamb, and a nose like that of a pig. It was coiled up like a mosquito coil, curled up at the very bottom, and the eyes boring through its body opened and closed with the juvenile¡¯s breathing, seemingly wanting to have roots penetrate into it. Just then, the juvenile¡¯s eyes suddenly opened, Its pupils shaped like a ¡®hyphen¡¯, staring at the Peeping Tom above, Its distorted mouth opened and closed, emitting strange cries, seemingly in pain due to the lack of roots. ¡°This guy is not just nourishment but maintains a ¡®symbiotic relationship¡¯ with the trees, mutually providing the nutrients they need. Jin, put the tree back for now, let¡¯s not startle the grass snake; our exploration has only just begun.¡± However. Jin¡¯s fingers gently rubbed together, a simple Red Lotus woven from blood threads pinched at his fingertips, As his fingers released, the Red Lotus drifted, landing on the strange juvenile¡¯s body. Rooting in the body surface, the red threads invaded, spreading throughout the body, Pop! The juvenile exploded like a bomb, its blood and flesh vaporized. Not long after, the tree that was pulled out of the ground started to wither from the roots, aging and dying in less than five minutes. ¡°This poor fellow, ¡®death¡¯ is the best gift~ Don¡¯t you think my method is quite gentlemanly, William?¡± ¡­ At the same moment. In a hidden and completely ¡°grayified¡± chamber deep in the forest, an elderly man wearing religious garments and a bishop¡¯s crown inlaid with gold and green plant patterns awoke from his seat. As he slowly raised his wrinkly, emaciated hand, a figure in a black ecclesiastical robe emerged from the darkness, kneeling before him. ¡°Lord Bishop, what are your commands?¡± ¡°We have a visitor¡­¡± ¡°Do they continue to send us nourishment? These humans are indeed generous.¡± ¡°This time it¡¯s different¡­ Let the inferior villagers receive them first, test their abilities; if necessary, we can initiate the test. Our plan is still in progress; we must act cautiously, Theodore.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man called Theodore quickly retreated into the shadows, disappearing. The bishop, having woken from his long sitting, seemed uncomfortable with his body, wanting to adjust his sitting posture. After he laboriously shifted his body, he reached out and lifted his ecclesiastical robe, revealing a fat belly full of wrinkles, Strangely, a similarly wrinkled umbilical cord extended from the bishop¡¯s navel, the other end connected to his seat. Seemingly anchoring him there, and as if utilizing the transfer function of the umbilical cord, continuously drawing nutrients from beneath the seat. Through the gap under the seat, one could faintly smell the stench of decay. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 90: The Old Man in the Attic (3rd Update) Chapter 91: Chapter 90: The Old Man in the Attic (3rd Update) When Jin directly blew up the juvenile creatures in the pit, Yi Chen immediately teamed up with Xiao Putao to scan the surroundings. After a while, they confirmed there was no arrival of any ¡®Patients,¡¯ they breathed a slight sigh of relief. ¡°Jin¡¯s style of handling things is always like this, and all we can do afterward is try to contain her impulsive actions. However, startling the snake by hitting the grass like this doesn¡¯t really matter much in this case. Since the interior region has undergone severe ¡®Grayification,¡¯ like Twilight Clinic, there must be an unknown existence watching over the forest, similar to Mr. Li. Perhaps every tree here serves as its informant.¡± ¡°Jin, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah! Hurry, I can hardly wait.¡± With no barrier of tree walls anymore, Jin walked ahead with her light footsteps. However, she would occasionally look back at Yi Chen to ensure that the distance between them did not exceed five meters. Yi Chen was not thrown off by Jin¡¯s pace; he steadily advanced, aided by his ¡®Sensing¡¯ ability with plants. The internal forest, dark and filled with thick fog, was easy to lose direction in if one sped up or got distracted. The trees here could not hold marks. Even if carved deeply with a knife, the trees would heal completely within a few minutes. Without a reconnaissance gentleman like Yi Chen, it was very easy to get lost in there. ¡­ About half an hour of walking through the forest Finally, among the view appeared an object other than plants¡ªa rotten and moldy signpost covered with lots of mushrooms, still faintly showing the words ¡®Shebolt Village.¡¯ This signpost seemed like a Boundary, A stone path stretched beyond the signpost into the foggy distance, with faint lights visible through the layers of mist. Not long after, a two-story building out of sync with the modern era, sat beside the road in a medieval style. Built of stone bricks, with a gabled roof and distinctive chimney. The backyard was fenced but showed no crops or livestock, only a puddle of foul black water. The horizontal wooden lattice windows on the first floor emanated bright flames, The recessed window embedded in the gabled roof on the second floor showed weak light, with indistinct shadows moving around, The chimney emitted a trace of black smoke, This was enough to indicate that someone was living inside. ¡°It¡¯s odd, this building seems to stand alone just outside the village¡­ The stone road continues further, there should still be some distance to the interior of the village. It¡¯s like¡­ a watchtower?¡± Jin said indifferently, ¡°No need to wonder, let¡¯s go in and find out.¡± As Jin moved toward the wooden door on the first floor, Yi Chen quickly stepped ahead of her to lead. Seeing this, Jin just smiled slightly, shoved her hands into her pockets, and intentionally slowed down to walk behind. She probably knew what Yi Chen was thinking¡ªcautious, rational, trying to gather as much information as possible from the start. Her previous teammates were all like this. However, her tolerance for Yi Chen seemed much higher. ¡°Let me see how the First Gentleman Recipient handles things.¡± As they entered the house, Jin intentionally kept a certain distance from Yi Chen. She planned not to intervene but to stay as an ¡®Audience¡¯ at the scene. Sizzle! Something long was burning in the fireplace, completely charred and unrecognizable. A wooden dining table was laden with lots of moldy, rotten food, the paintings on the walls were torn, providing no useful information, and the kitchen similarly held various unwashed dishes. After checking, they confirmed there was no one on the first floor, Yi Chen stepped up the staircase beside the fireplace to the second-floor attic, making almost no noise the entire way. The attic under the gabled roof was cramped and restrictive, but as Yi Chen reached the last step, he immediately stopped. In front of him, in the corner of the attic, a nearly burned-out white wax candle flickered weakly, ready to extinguish at any moment. The dim light from the flame barely allowed one to see directly across the stair entrance to the end of the attic, where, a wooden rocking chair was placed, with an almost bald old man sitting on it. Facing away, only the sparse white hair on the old man¡¯s head could be seen, along with black spots much like those of a corpse. The rocking chair moved slowly, each motion emitting a slight creaking sound, which felt quite bizarre in such a narrow, pitch-black space. When Yi Chen tentatively took a step forward, the speed of the rocking chair slightly quickened, as if it sensed the arrival of the young man. Following him into the attic, Jin leaned on the stair railing, supporting his face with one hand, leisurely watching the scene unfold. ¡°Hello, is this Shebolt Village?¡± To Yi Chen¡¯s question, the other party did not respond at all. Seeing this, Yi Chen could only continue carrying his suitcase, moving closer to the old man¡­ deliberately slowing his steps and enhancing his visual sharpness. ¡°Is that¡­ a cat?¡± Halfway across the attic, he caught sight of what seemed to be a black cat lying on the old man¡¯s legs, almost blending into the surroundings due to its color. The cat was staring at Yi Chen with yellow eyes. It made no sound and made no move, just quietly watching. Feeling a hint of danger, Yi Chen placed one hand on the suitcase lock, and continued to move closer to the old man. Creaking and cracking¡ªthe rocking chair made noises. As he drew nearer, the rocking of the chair became more frequent, five meters, four meters, three meters, two meters, Now the rocking frequency of the chair had exceeded normal limits, way too fast for any ordinary person to achieve even if they exerted all their strength. One meter! As Yi Chen¡¯s leather shoe touched the ground, the rapidly shaking rocking chair came to an abrupt halt¡­ as if a pause button had been pressed on a remote control. Suddenly, the old man on the rocking chair turned his head fiercely, his neck twisting 90¡ã alive, facing the young intruder. This was a face with no features at all, just a deep pit indented into it. The concave face led directly to the esophagus, and in the cavity-like face was only a ¡°Strange Tongue.¡± The tongue was covered in black hair, extending outward, reaching down to the legs¡­ and the tip of the tongue was actually connected to the black cat on the old man¡¯s legs. To be exact, the cat was part of the tongue! Meow! As the old man violently shook his head, the black cat tongue dangling from his mouth was instantly flicked towards Yi Chen. The body of the black cat split vertically from the abdomen, opening a jaw with fine teeth capable of completely biting and clinging onto a face (similar to a mantis shrimp), aiming straight for Yi Chen¡¯s face. At such a short distance, it was too late to draw a weapon for a slash. The old man had deliberately waited for his opponent to come close enough for a deadly strike! Just as the black cat came within less than five centimeters of Yi Chen¡¯s face, his gloved left hand had already locked onto the airborne mantis cat. Green light flashed! Spear-like roots sprouted suddenly from the palm, piercing the black cat¡¯s body in an instant and nailing it to the ceiling. Without waiting for the old man to react, Yi Chen¡¯s other hand immediately landed on top of his head, fingers spread, with spike-like roots growing out from the fingertips. ¡°Root Piercing Skull¡± With enhanced intelligence and the aid of the gloves, there was no need to slowly drill into the skull through the nostrils or ears. Crack! The sharp roots directly pierced through the skull, conducting a ¡°Central Tasting¡± while the subject was alive. Clearer Memory Fragments were absorbed by Yi Chen, simultaneously nourishing his brain. The old man convulsed wildly during this process, After the tasting was completed, he naturally acquired the location of the Pathogen Core. The roots retracted, fingers releasing from the old man¡¯s head. The palm continued downwards, delivering a hit to the old man¡¯s abdomen. Swoosh! Roots drilled out from the palm, piercing directly through the abdomen and shattering the Pathogen Core within. The old man and the ceiling-bound black cat quickly stiffened, their bodies rapidly withering to become mummified corpses. ¡°Brilliant!¡± Jin¡¯s applause and cheer immediately came from the stairwell. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Surround and Be Surrounded (4th Update) Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Surround and Be Surrounded (4th Update) Weak and ordinary, that was Yi Chen¡¯s immediate impression after killing the old man. It wasn¡¯t that he had become much stronger but rather a very objective feeling. Not even close to the unfinished work created by Moon Trace Lorrian at the Twilight Clinic. Just the doctor who performed cardiac defibrillation alone could take on three or four of such old men. However, if caught off guard by a black cat pouncing straight at his face, it would still be quite dangerous¡­ Once the pounce was complete, the furry old man¡¯s tongue would drill into his body via the esophagus, and might even directly proceed to ¡°egg-laying infection.¡± As for the memory fragments Yi Chen collected, they were of no value at all, all of them were just the old man¡¯s daily life, with absolutely no information about the ¡°Church of the Reborn.¡± As the tree walls rose, the old man, being immobile, could only stay at home and not leave. As grayification arose between the floorboards, he took these gray clouds as a sign of the Reaper¡¯s arrival, so he took the only black cat that kept him company to the attic, sitting in a rocking chair that hadn¡¯t been used in a long time, waiting for death to come. However, death did not come, under the influence of grayification, the old man developed a strange disease mutation, actively sticking out his tongue to lick the black cat. This licking continued, and about a week later, his tongue fused with the black cat, forming a deformed patient. ¡°The disease spreading between the village and the forest seems to be related to ¡®Biological Fusion¡¯¡­ The infant found beneath the tree earlier was the same, having human limbs, yet also possessing features of cows and sheep. Is this a disease brought by the so-called Church of the Reborn?¡± As Yi Chen was thinking, Jin¡¯s palm gently rested on his shoulder from behind, ¡°Hey~ you really are incredible! Dealing with such inferior patients without even needing a weapon. By the way, why didn¡¯t you act earlier? Based on my recent observation, the effective range of the plants inside you should be over three meters, right? You didn¡¯t need to get close, did you?¡± ¡°To ensure the integrity of the body and gather more intelligence. If I¡¯m too far, my accuracy decreases significantly¡­ and it would be pointless if ¡®this¡¯ got destroyed,¡± Yi Chen said while pointing to his own head. ¡°Oh? Can you extract nutrients and knowledge from brain matter? What a terrifying ability~ That¡¯s even worse than what I¡¯d do. Why don¡¯t you try sucking my brain to see what¡¯s inside?¡± Jin, curious, directly placed Yi Chen¡¯s palm onto his own forehead, ¡°Jin, stop it. This guy¡¯s brain doesn¡¯t have any useful information, just an isolated old man living outside the village¡­ Let¡¯s go, continue into the village.¡± Just then, Jin suddenly turned his head, looking towards the bottom of the stairs. A voice filled with killing intent and slight excitement came from beneath the mask, ¡°Is this building a trap? We are surrounded, William¡­ and there seems to be quite a number of them.¡± Upon hearing this, Yi Chen immediately stepped over to the window of the attic, without needing the help of an oil lamp, in the pitch-black forest, villagers holding torches were continuously emerging, their manifested ¡®form¡¯ further confirmed Yi Chen¡¯s suspicion, the disease infecting and affecting the village and the forest was related to ¡°Biological Fusion.¡± First, those resembling humans. Their appearance and physical structure remained within human parameters, only with additional animalistic features, such as a woman with antlers, fur and white spots on her skin, or a man with bull horns and a bull tail, incredibly robust, but these kinds were few, many more villagers no longer possessed the crucial label of ¡®human¡¯, for example a person whose body split open from the chin to the abdomen, equipped with hundreds of sharp teeth, limbs rapidly crawling on the ground. Or completely werewolf-transformed individuals standing upright, even holding a shotgun. Or someone with ¡®Fungus Mountain¡¯ growing on their back, bending their torso 90¡ã, and every several seconds, the Fungus Mountain on their back would release a large number of grayifying spores, stimulating and strengthening the nearby villagers. The total number of villagers who had come to besiege them was over twenty. Among them, the most intimidating and formidable was undoubtedly a ¡°Pig-Headed Butcher¡±. His physique was at least the size of three grown villagers. A giant pig¡¯s head was sewn onto his neck, replacing the original head. The butcher apron was pushed up by his belly, or rather, not a belly but three pig heads protruding from the abdomen, their wide mouths dripping saliva as they smelled the fresh meat. Not only that, Four iron chains were clamped to the butcher¡¯s back, with the other ends tethered to four hounds with pig skins and heads attached, barking madly or emitting weird pig-like sounds intermittently. This butcher, given more time, completing more slaughtering tasks, and absorbing more ¡°Grayification¡± aura, would soon become a ¡°Severe Patient.¡± ¡°So many!¡± This was Yi Chen¡¯s first encounter with so many patients, and his mind immediately began devising a method to escape the predicament. ¡°Jin! Wait until more than half of these people enter the house, then direct a controlled explosion at the edge of the attic wall. It would be even better if you could cause the building to collapse. Taking advantage of the explosion¡¯s opening, we will leap towards the deep forest and flee at full speed. If we encounter any villagers blocking our way, do not engage in prolonged combat, quickly eliminate them and retreat at once.¡± ¡°NO!¡± Jin shook his finger, outright rejecting Yi Chen¡¯s evacuation plan. ¡°Why not enjoy the feast of patients delivered right to us instead of thinking about escaping? I mean, I intentionally let you go first when we entered the house earlier. I even let you have all the kills of the first patient¡­ Shouldn¡¯t it be my turn to decide this time? Don¡¯t you want to gather information? See those brains shaking inside their skulls? They will all be yours later.¡± Just as Yi Chen wanted to say something, Jin stepped forward, tiptoed, Pressed close to his chest, and placed a finger on his lips, Shush~ After calming Yi Chen down, Jin swiftly moved to the first layer, taking advantage while the villagers were still outside. He flicked a small metal box from his pocket, and a bright red ¡°Compressed Meat Cube¡± landed in his hand. Hum! A red thread oozed from his fingertips into the cube, activating it, then stuck it on the floor like chewing gum. After completing these actions, Jin moved back to the second floor with a light step, whistling, leading Yi Chen and positioning themselves at the attic¡¯s center, pointing towards the floor. ¡°There will be an explosion here shortly. Our clothes are designed to effectively absorb the shock of the explosion and minimize physical damage¡­ We will use the force of the explosion to catapult us outside the house. Let these fools who aim to surround us become the ones we envelop.¡± As he spoke, Jin continued leading Yi Chen by the arm, eventually wrapping it around his waist. ¡°Of course, if you haven¡¯t experienced such an explosion and can¡¯t pinpoint the exact impact zone, just hold onto me tight¡ªI¡¯ll choose the most suitable landing spot.¡± Yi Chen indeed hadn¡¯t experienced it before and was unsure of the explosion¡¯s full potential, only feeling his gentleman¡¯s clothes already thickening and enlarging. He didn¡¯t refuse Jin¡¯s suggestion and maintained the embrace. As the footsteps from the first floor grew denser, and approximately ten villagers had entered the room, Jin elegantly raised his right hand and snapped his fingers in the air. Snap~ A ¡°Red Lotus¡± blossomed on the surface of the meat cube. Boom! The stone-built house collapsed instantaneously, and amidst the red flames and billowing smoke, two figures leaped out, embracing each other, drawing a perfect parabola in the air to land just behind the outermost layer of villagers. Beneath a multicolored mask was a bloodthirsty face. The slaughter begins! Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Jins Strength (5th Update) Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Jin¡¯s Strength (5th Update) ¡°` The power of the explosion was astonishing, and the small mushroom cloud that rose in the glare of the fire actually took on the shape of a red lotus. The villagers who had stepped into the first floor of the house didn¡¯t even have a complete limb left, and those within five meters of the building were also losing arms and legs, their movements limited in the short term¡­ and there was even one unlucky fellow whose Pathogen Core within was pierced by a flying rock from the explosion, dead on the spot. The situation was different for the two people also inside the building, The gentleman¡¯s clothes could automatically detect the exact location of the source of the explosion, assess its approximate power, and add a honeycomb-like blast-proof structure between the layers of clothing. The core material, the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± also released a trace of ancient aura, assisting the rapid formation and stability of this structure. In the instant of the explosion, The coat had already enveloped the whole body. The shock from the explosion was blocked by the special structure of the clothing, with only 10% to 20% of the impact force transmitted into the body. Jin perfectly harnessed the propelling force of the explosion, dropping the two to the outermost layer of the encirclement of villagers. She even took advantage of the embracing posture, using the red lotus mushroom cloud formed by the explosion and the wildly flying remains of the Patients as a backdrop, the moment they landed, arching her back downward. With a full arch, Jin, through her mask, looked up at Yi Chen right above her, ¡°How was that, exciting, huh? Now these guys are surrounded by us, the party starts now!¡± No sooner had she spoken, than the nearest villager had already approached, His beard covering his entire face, his spine curved, his arms thickened into bear paws. Twisting his entire body¡¯s muscles, he swung a heavy slap capable of breaking tree trunks, wanting to smash the two people before him to pieces. But Jin seemed very relaxed, first disengaging from Yi Chen¡¯s embrace, facing the oncoming huge bear paw, she not only had no intention of dodging, but even opened her own palm and swung it with equal speed. The scene more resembled a ¡®high-five¡¯ between friends. At the moment of palm contact, judging purely by physique, Jin¡¯s arm would have been instantaneously broken, along with her body being flung away. But then¡­ Boom! A small bright explosion occurred at the point of contact, The villager¡¯s entire thick bear arm and half of his body were blasted into meat paste, the unharmed Jin stepped forward with an elegant rhythm, her arm gliding past the villager¡¯s blown-open wound, across the stomach sac and intestines, and pulling out a fetal-like Pathological Core. ¡°An induced disease Patient, huh? No wonder it¡¯s so weak¡­ such hastily induced bodies have no value.¡± With a pinch of her fingers, the Pathological farmer died instantly. The next second, three more villagers had Jin surrounded, either with a mouth full of tearing sharp teeth, or with four hands each holding hay forks, or with a burst abdomen with suction cup-like adhesive tentacles. Whoosh! All they felt was a phantom flash before their eyes, Jin¡¯s speed was entirely beyond those villagers, even several levels higher. By the time they made an attack, Jin was already three meters away, walking towards the location of the Pig Head Butcher. Different parts of their bodies all showed a finger-shaped indentation, as though they¡¯d been poked. Red lines spread from the indentations across their bodies, culminating in a Red Lotus blossoming from their navels! As they turned to pursue Jin, Boom! Their bellies exploded, with their remaining lower halves either collapsing directly to the ground, or being blasted onto the twisted branches nearby, or being flung at other villagers, knocking them away. Upon hearing the explosion, Jin turned her head to look at Yi Chen, ¡°Hey William! These are all induced disease Patients, too boring to deal with. Only that Pig Head looks somewhat interesting¡­ I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I¡¯m going to have some fun with Pig Head.¡± With that, ¡°` Jin leapt atop a tree beside him, jumping between branches, moving closer to the direction of the Pig Head Butcher. With Jin¡¯s temporary disappearance, the seemingly less intelligent villagers immediately shifted their gaze to the other invading young man, gradually drawing closer. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Yi Chen set down his carry-on case with smooth motions, unfastened his sleeve garters, and folded his cuffs in three sections, securing them above his elbows. He unlocked the case with his thumb and pulled out the hand axe with a black handle and a silver blade. As he got to his feet, he pressed his index finger against the handle and flicked his wrist to initiate an instant rotation, whoosh~the hand axe began to spin in the palm of his hand, and by the time he had fully stood up, the axe had completed five rotations and was firmly grasped. The heat generated by the spin caused a slight sweat in the palm, increasing friction and completing the warmup. ¡°Induced Disease Patients? No wonder this feeling is a bit strange.¡± Yi Chen had read about the term in books. ¡®Induced Pathological¡¯ It¡¯s a special infectious ability possessed by some Severe Patients and Open Source Patients, which allows them to rapidly induce individuals to transition through the infection stage and become Patients through ¡®direct granting¡¯ methods like direct sowing or Pathogen Core sharing. The process is extremely short, with a high success rate, capable of creating a large number of Patients with enslaved thoughts in a short period. It¡¯s a bit like animals that have been rushed to growth with hormones; although they seem physically mature, their flesh and bones remain at juvenile stages, and they might not even be able to stand properly. However, Yi Chen had no intention of underestimating his opponents. With his right hand, he held the hand axe, left hand manipulating plants, coordinating with Vision¡¯s sight, he moved agilely among the villagers, dodging at critical moments and counterattacking, his actions almost without a shred of excess. Since the building explosion had killed more than half of the villagers, and a few were taken down by Jin, the number of remaining villagers did not exceed ten. Having gone through the experience at Twilight Clinic, plus the month of Physical exchange with teacher Zede, Yi Chen¡¯s combat skills had risen another level. Dealing with these induced Patients was not an issue at all. The only downside was one thing: There was no useful information in the brains of these villagers; not only was there nothing involving the ¡°Church of Rebirth,¡± but even their own memories were incomplete, murky and unclear, with no value in analysis and sorting. By the time Yi Chen pulled the axe from the spine of the last villager and wiped off the blood with a plant-made cloth, Thud! A heavy sound of falling came from directly in front. He looked up. The most troublesome Pig Head Butcher among the villagers lay heavily on the ground. Jin was squatting next to the butcher¡¯s massive body, engaged in an indescribable and bizarre behavior, using her unique Professional Characteristics to perform ¡°Physical Forging.¡± Eventually, a meticulously cleaned pig head, reduced to half its original size, was crafted, and, hanging from a metal hook extending from the neck, was held in Jin¡¯s hand. ¡°Since I never have suitable materials, I usually make my weapons temporarily during missions. That¡¯s also quite good, as it always gives me enough novelty¡­ This pig head is barely passable.¡± As she spoke, Jin inserted her right hand entirely inside the pig head, pulled on the metal hook outside its neck, similar to pulling an engine cord. Swish! A White Bone Saw Blade, made of compressed and refined bone, suddenly popped out from the top of the pig head, approximately a meter and a half long, spinning rapidly. ¡®Pig Head Chainsaw¡¯ This scene left Yi Chen stunned, ¡°So this is what a ¡®Human Body Weapons Master¡¯ is¡­¡± Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Numerical Value (6th Update) Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Numerical Value (6th Update) In the dark depths over a hundred meters from the incident, Theodore, dressed in a black church robe, was silently observing everything; he had directly led the villagers¡¯ round-up this time. Seeing all the villagers he had arranged being wiped out, his expression remained unchanged. He was simply silently recording the abilities displayed by the two individuals. ¡°Lord Bishop was right, these two individuals are completely different from the humans who came before. Let¡¯s delve deeper! You might become the key material for ¡®Birth¡¯.¡± After the pig-headed Butcher was killed and turned into a special weapon, he recorded the last piece of information and disappeared into the darkness. ¡­ Splash splash~ Tree sap pus dripped from the top like raindrops, specifically extinguishing the flames produced by the explosion. In front of a house ruin filled with broken limbs, Jin had reattached the miniaturized pig-head to his waist, which then served as a crucial tool for curing diseases during the mission. Yi Chen looked up at the source of the ¡®rain,¡¯ it was the group of branches covering the forest, which reacted immediately upon detecting abnormal heat sources. Suddenly, Yi Chen felt something else, quickly turned his head, and his gaze darted toward a certain direction in the pitch-black forest. Curiously, Jin asked, ¡°What¡¯s up, what are you looking at?¡± ¡°I just felt an instant of being spied on, like someone is watching us in the shadows¡­ or rather, observing us.¡± ¡°Has it disappeared already? What a pity~ My pig-head hasn¡¯t even been blooded yet.¡± ¡°Yes, the feeling of being spied on was fleeting, now I can¡¯t feel anything¡­ Jin, the Butcher¡¯s brain, can you extract some information from it?¡± ¡°Ah~ The brain is a critical operational device, I have already integrated it, and it would be ruined if you ate it.¡± ¡°Alright, these diseased villagers spawned feel like their brains have been cut in half, containing only a slight amount of murky memories, it even feels like their memory layers are incomplete. Gathering the brain is like diluting fake liquor with water, not stimulating at all.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go~ Once we slaughter all the diseased in the village, the truth will naturally surface.¡± Perhaps it was the long-awaited slaughter and the acquisition of a fairly satisfactory temporary weapon, Jin, though wearing a mask, could be sensed feeling joyous, rhythmically tapping her shoe tips on the stone path, performing a lively folk dance. Yi Chen merely smiled faintly, normally walking behind her. Strangely enough, despite having just experienced an intense battle, Yi Chen could still feel the residual warmth of splattered blood and the numbing sensation from the physical shock of explosions, his ax-wielding right hand¡¯s fingers involuntarily twitching slightly. A part of him was still immersed in the recent slaughter, with the joints across his body slightly stiff. However, as Jin¡¯s rhythmic dance progressed, Yi Chen¡¯s tense mood also eased, and his stiff body quickly returned to normal. ¡°Jin, this fellow¡­ Teaming up with her was indeed the right choice. To survive in such a world, one must adapt to this kind of slaughter, capable of controlling oneself in any situation, maintaining the ¡®spirit¡¯ worthy of a gentleman.¡± ¡°Jin, how many attribute values do you have?¡± Considering they had not officially reached the village yet, Yi Chen was curious about how high Jin¡¯s attribute values were, given the powers and speed she had shown. ¡°Come here, put your hand on my shoulder, and I¡¯ll share them with you so you can see for yourself.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As Yi Chen reached out his hand, Jin immediately performed an elegant spin, facing him, and actively pressed her shoulder against the outstretched hand. Between the retinas, a long string of shared information immediately appeared; although it wasn¡¯t as detailed as the self-examination, it encompassed all the information Yi Chen wanted. ¡ÚProfession: Human Body Weapons Master¡Û ¡ÚRank: Human¡Û ¡ÚBasic Attributes¡Û [Physique]: 4 [Motorics]: 6 [Intellect]: 3 [Psyche]: 5 [Luck]: 4 ¡ÚProfessional Characteristics¡Û ¡®Physical Affinity (Passive)¡¯: Can self-heal by devouring the blood and flesh of mammals, the closer to humans the better, with the blood and flesh of human patients being most effective. Can perfectly adapt to any blood type for transfusions, any health organ transplant will never trigger a rejection reaction. ¡°Blood and Flesh Weapon (Active)¡±: An individual can transform the blood and flesh of mammalian creatures into weapons, the strength of the weapon is directly related to the original materials and the individual¡¯s ¡°Sensing¡± value, the selection of weapon types is indirectly related to the ¡°Sensing¡± value, Pathological Traits Has mastered the Pathological Crystal with the keyword ¡°Red Lotus¡±, specific information is not disclosed to the public. ¡­ Jin naturally has her privacy, some special personal information was directly hidden by her. However, even this information was already astonishing. Except for intelligence, which was average, all other attribute values were above average, the most terrifying was that her ¡°Coordination¡± had reached the human limit, which explained why she could perfectly control her body and determine the landing spot during the intense explosion impact, and her unimaginable body speed during real combat. Her ¡°Sensing¡± had also reached an extraordinary level. Sensing represents the diversity of Jin¡¯s thoughts, allowing the creation of more flesh products, with flexible attack methods and enormous lethal power. Clearly, she, just like Yi Chen, wanted to reach the ¡°Multi-attribute Extreme¡±. The last thing to note is that Jin¡¯s professional characteristics do not provide an increase in attribute values or assist in growth, unlike Yi Chen¡¯s Central Tasting. That is to say, the attribute values she had achieved depended entirely on her own training. Just when Yi Chen wanted to ask further, Whoosh! A dark shadow suddenly flashed through the woods beside him, moving extremely fast¡­ but was still captured by Grape as a small silhouette. It looked like some kind of small animal. When the silhouette image was conveyed to Yi Chen, he immediately received a corresponding answer¡ª ¡°Chicken¡±. Just as Yi Chen wanted to chase, Jin had already run ahead. ¡°So fast!¡± Yi Chen considered himself not slow, having been in the first tier in his previous squad. But the speed Jin burst out with was terrifyingly fast, and he could even faintly hear the weak sounds of explosions from her calves. The distance between them widened quickly. ¡°Jin, wait up!¡± Just as Yi Chen tried to call and keep Jin from getting too far away, Jin suddenly stopped, because the fast-moving, chicken-like creature was already firmly grasped in her hands. Under the light of a kerosene lamp, with black feathers and a red crown, it was indeed a chicken. Whether it was the comb, shape, or color of the feathers, everything looked normal, with no signs of pathological changes. But in such a deep grayified area with internal blockades, Jin naturally would not let go of any creature¡­ and for oviparous creatures like chickens, she had no use for them and planned to crush it immediately. Just as she was about to exert force, the chicken¡¯s beak suddenly opened, and it spoke in a rather comical human voice. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me¡­ I just wanted to lead you to ¡®Grandma¡¯! You can¡¯t enter the village, or you¡¯ll end up like those people, captured by the village chief and his subordinates and taken to the church.¡± Jin didn¡¯t care about this information, only very concerned that the chicken could talk, ¡°Has it mutated after all?¡± Jin had no intention of stopping her action and was about to crush it forcefully when, Whoosh! A vine suddenly came from behind, wrapped around her arm, stopping Jin¡¯s action. ¡°Spare the¡­ chicken!¡± ¡°Hey! Are you vetoing my action?¡± At Yi Chen¡¯s sudden intervention, Jin changed her usual demeanor, leaned back her body and turned her head, though her face under the mask was not visible, one could feel a hint of killing intent. Yi Chen showed no intention of backing down, still holding the plant wrapped around her. ¡°Let the chicken talk a bit more.¡± The two locked eyes for a full minute, Jin suddenly released her grip, allowing Yi Chen to take the chicken away. ¡°You¡¯re quite a tough man~ If it were those guys in Zion, they would have cowered already. Go ahead and ask¡­If there¡¯s nothing more interesting, I¡¯ll still tear the chicken by hand.¡± Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 94 Chicken Coop (7th Update) Chapter 95: Chapter 94 Chicken Coop (7th Update) ¡°Jin seemed particularly sensitive to this sudden negation¡­ Indeed, there was a moment just now when I felt the urge to kill her, so I must be cautious in the future and try to avoid negating her as much as possible.¡± In fact, Yi Chen could fully understand the abrupt change in Jin¡¯s emotions. During their life in the Orphanage, those children who were abandoned by their parents, especially those who were abandoned after they became sensible, and even those who were abused by their biological families, often had certain ¡®psychological restricted areas¡¯. Once these areas were touched, their temperaments could change drastically, and they might even act without considering the consequences. A boy who used to get along well with Yi Chen was told by other kids one day, ¡®Can you not act like a dog?¡¯. He immediately pounced on the speaker and bit off his nose and ears, almost tearing off the entire face. It was later revealed that as a child, this boy was often locked in a kennel by his parents and raised like a dog, getting hung up and whipped for any disobedience. As for Jin¡¯s situation, it might be even worse. Yi Chen would certainly pay close attention to this and try his best not to touch Jin¡¯s ¡®restricted area¡¯. ¡­ Now was the moment for interrogation, It was necessary to pry some important information from the mouth of this chicken that had appeared out of nowhere, moving at high speeds, and even able to speak. Plants bound the chicken¡¯s body to prevent it from escaping. With his hands cradling its slightly plump body, Yi Chen quickly detected pathological substances within the chicken¡¯s body. The pathology mainly affected the brain area. This black chicken¡¯s brain was not confined to the cranial cavity but was proliferating along the neck, filling half the body cavity¡­ Its brain size was comparable to a human brain. This might explain how the black chicken was able to speak and have thoughts. Besides the brain, the chicken¡¯s leg muscles were quite developed, with muscle structures similar to feathers visible on them. If it were not for personnel like Jin, who had reached the limit in terms of coordination, an ordinary gentleman would have really struggled to catch up with it. Apart from the brain and legs, the rest were normal and posed no threat. This was also Yi Chen¡¯s first close contact with a pathological animal, surprisingly safe. ¡°Hey! Hurry up and give us more information, or my friend here will really kill you.¡± The black chicken was so scared that its comb had collapsed, and it shivered all over, trying its best to squeeze out human words: ¡°Grandmother knows, grandmother wants to talk to you. About the forest, about the village, and the Church, we can talk about it all¡ªcluck cluck!¡± ¡°What grandmother? Where is she?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you there¡­ Grandmother isn¡¯t controlled by the Church, she lives alone in a secret place outside the village¡ªcluck cluck!¡± ¡°Has she sought out other humans before?¡± ¡°No¡ªGrandmother is very discerning; those other humans couldn¡¯t have survived, but you¡¯re different! You effortlessly killed those¡­ freaks at the village entrance¡ªcluck cluck!¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t continue the questioning but turned to Jin, who was waiting at his side. ¡°Jin, let this chicken lead us there¡­ Even if it¡¯s a trap, it should be to your liking, right?¡± With an Instant Step, Jin moved over and gently touched the chicken¡¯s comb, nearly making the frightened black chicken explode in a fluff. ¡°Fine! Hurry up and take us to your chicken nest¡­ Don¡¯t you dare deceive us.¡± And so, Plant roots wrapped around the chicken¡¯s neck like a pet leash, leading the way in front. Yi Chen also noticed that the direction the chicken was leading them in was completely opposite to the direction from which the sensing had come earlier, indicating that someone else might have been observing the fight. The deeper they went towards ¡®Grandmother¡¯s¡¯ residence, the more chickens began to appear amongst the trees around them; some could even fly short distances, fluttering their wings to perch on very hidden branches. Yi Chen considered these chickens to be ¡®Grandmother¡¯s¡¯ eyes and ears, If what the black chicken said is true, it¡¯s possible that the grandmother has a bias towards ¡°Patient Zero¡± not being controlled and occupies an area in the forest all by herself. She lives separated from the villagers, silently observing the changes in the forest and the village¡­ Of course, one cannot completely rule out a relationship with the Church. The specific situation can only be determined after meeting her. Soon, the black chicken led them to what was called ¡®Grandmother¡¯s dwelling¡¯ A giant tree, enormously fat, its surface covered in boils oozing pus, at least three times larger than a normal tree. ¡°Grandmother lives down here, follow me,¡± said the black chicken. With a flurry of wing flaps, the black chicken leapt towards a crack about half a meter long in the trunk, squirming as if it were trying to suck in any external objects. Yi Chen didn¡¯t hesitate, stepping forward and placing his palm on the trunk to widen the gap slightly. Under the cover of his coat, he squeezed through the sticky tree sap and into the slit. Inside the trunk was a ¡®slide¡¯ that felt somewhere between flesh and plant, carrying Yi Chen to a mysterious underground area. After sliding down a spiraling path for about fifty meters, he finally landed in a pile of straw. Around him, numerous yellow chicks quickly gathered, seemingly welcoming Yi Chen as an outside guest. Taking advantage of Vision¡¯s perspective, he swiftly scanned the surrounding environment, It was a rather large underground space, hemispherical with walls lined with chicken feathers of various colors, presumably providing some shielding from the outside world. Overall, the area could be roughly divided into three zones: [Incubation Area] Different colored metal chicken coops stacked on top of each other, arranged along the walls, with many eggs incubating within. The chicks surrounding Yi Chen had come from here. [Nutrition Zone] Living root tendrils extending from the giant tree, each one embedded in the body of a large broiler chicken, extracting their nutrients. Once depleted, the next chicken in line would quickly take its place. Through this act of self-sacrifice, the giant tree is nourished, supporting this underground space and ensuring the safety of the chicken community. At the same time, the essence seeping from the giant tree was collected in the nutrition troughs, and the chicks hatched from the eggs grew rapidly by eating such juice, maturing quickly. If they grew into chickens that could talk, move as fast as the wind, and had sharp vision, they would gain [Freedom] to run errands for Grandmother outside. If they turned out to be ordinary chickens with no particular use, they would be labeled ¡®broiler¡¯ and join the queuing ranks. [Home Area] Located on the other side of the underground region. Stove, dining table, fireplace, bed, and other basic household items were all present. A slightly plump old woman, dressed in a colorful cover-up, her short wavy hair interspersed with streaks of gray, was sitting on a wooden chair. Her feet on the ground were bare¡­ or rather, could not wear shoes, Her foot structure was still relatively normal, but her toes had mutated, elongating and covered with dark wrinkled folds, also growing sharp and curved talons. In her arms, she cradled a chicken with golden outer feathers, somewhat spherical in Body Shape, gently stroking it. With her back turned, her face was not visible, which inevitably reminded Yi Chen of his previous encounter in the attic, Just as Yi Chen was about to greet her, ¡®Grandmother¡¯ turned around, with dangling red flesh under her chin, her facial features similar to those of humans, and a kind, warm smile on her face. ¡°Welcome to my chicken coop, just call me ¡®Grandma Chicken¡¯. You really are different from the others, being able to catch [Little Pei], the fastest chicken I have,¡± she said. Yi Chen heard this and immediately released the vines¡¯ binding, allowing the trembling black chicken, Little Pei, to return to Grandma Chicken¡¯s side. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Village Past Events (8th Update) Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Village Past Events (8th Update) From his initial observations and the words of the old lady, Yi Chen tentatively concluded that Vision was ¡°harmless,¡± so it was worth trying to communicate with her to obtain crucial investigative information. However, there was one issue that needed to be resolved before initiating communication¡ªJin. Yi Chen looked upwards, but Jin was nowhere to be seen sliding down. ¡°Strange, given Jin¡¯s character, she should have followed right away.¡± Just then, the old lady, while stroking the golden chicken in her lap, said: ¡°Your friend has been taken next door. She probably doesn¡¯t like interacting with people much, prefers killing¡­ Why don¡¯t we have her help me clear out the villagers who wandered out recently?¡± ¡°Villagers?¡± ¡°I had the kids set up many traps around here. Any villager who comes here will fall into one if they¡¯re not careful. That only applies to some foolish fetus villagers, though. For the Church folks, I don¡¯t lift a finger¡ªthey¡¯re quite dangerous.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered with so many villagers disappearing in your area?¡± ¡°Many? No, the fetus villagers I¡¯ve captured don¡¯t even make up 1% of the total base, and these villagers are rejects that the Church doesn¡¯t care about. They won¡¯t care about their deaths or disappearances.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yi Chen nodded slightly; it seemed that his upcoming conversation with the old lady could indeed yield much valuable information. At that moment, the old lady¡¯s wrinkled forehead began to undergo a strange transformation; the normal lines of her wrinkles gradually evolved into countless ¡®short segments¡¯, more precisely, ¡°Eye Slits¡± Following that, something began to wriggle inside the eye slits, which then opened one after another. Dozens of yellow and black chicken¡¯s eyes covered the old lady¡¯s forehead, each blinking at a different rate. At that moment, the little grape inside his body got excited at once, ¡°Wow! A bunch of chicken grapes! I really want to eat them. They must be delicious if skewered with bamboo sticks and blanched. Once this guy¡¯s value has been exhausted, we¡¯ll eat her up!¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t respond, just silently observed the changes in the old lady. The eyes on the old lady¡¯s forehead appeared to make visual connections with the outside chickens, After some movement of the pupils, all the chicken eyes closed, ¡°It seems no one from the Church has followed us here¡­ we can have a proper conversation now. However, we should keep our talk under ten minutes, or the Church might start suspecting your whereabouts and possibly find this place. Let¡¯s get to the point~ The reason I called you here is simple; I hope you can eliminate all the infected in Shebolt Village, especially the Church personnel who deliberately led us to get infected. If you¡¯re willing to help, I will provide as much information as possible and have my children assist you in secret.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ What do you mean by ¡®deliberately led you to get infected¡¯? Are people from the Church spreading the pathogen?¡± The old lady quickly corrected, ¡°Not spreading the pathogen, but leading us to break the Rules.¡± ¡°Break the Rules? Can you elaborate?¡± This aligned with Yi Chen¡¯s initial assumption. ¡°As a gentleman like yourself should be well aware of the rules in our village. The Rules are very strict about fertility control in the village, which also limits the main development of livestock in the village to some extent. However, we also rely on these Rules to greatly reduce the likelihood of the villagers getting sick, and everyone manages to live somewhat comfortably. But a few months ago, a group calling themselves the ¡®New Church¡¯ arrived. They claimed to have a new set of Rules, which not only eliminated illness but also disregarded the restrictions on fertility, promoting the development of livestock in the village. Somehow, they directly convinced the Village Chief and set up a church on the small hill on the east side of the village.¡± ¡°The small hill on the east side¡± Yi Chen took careful note of this critical piece of information. ¡°At first, the villagers didn¡¯t believe these outsiders. But after some persuasion by the Village Chief, a group of young villagers started to be led to the church, and their thoughts completely changed after returning.¡± A female villager, who had been unable to conceive for years, found herself pregnant soon after returning from the church. She had completed a normal pregnancy in just a month, giving birth to a healthy and lively little one without following the fertility timing rules. There were also elderly couples, older than me, who seemed to regain their youthful vitality after visiting the church and likewise conceived soon after. There was even a white pig, led to the church, that became pregnant without any contact and gave birth to more than twenty healthy piglets in less than half a month. These signs were all considered ¡°miracles¡± by the villagers. Gradually, more and more villagers stopped following the rules and began flocking to the church to receive baptisms¡­ When they returned, they started to let their livestock breed prolifically. I, however, always scoffed at this, viewing these outsiders as a cult. Of course, there were also a few in the village who shared my thoughts and didn¡¯t want any contact with the church. It wasn¡¯t until one day that I, frequently suffering from poor sleep due to my old bones, accidentally discovered the Village Chief pouring a murky liquid containing dead infants into the only well in the village at dawn. Before we could escape the village, the Village Chief began the final purge. He didn¡¯t force-feed us well water or tie us up to bring us to the church¡­ instead, he directly beheaded those of us who were considered incurable, who refused to accept a new identity. I was caught by the Village Chief by the hair and dragged to the backyard. In front of the ¡®children,¡¯ my head was chopped off¡­¡± At this point, Old Mother Chicken, with a smile on her face, tilted back her head showing a clear, visible scar on her neck. ¡°When my consciousness returned, I had been dragged by the children to an open area outside the village, and my head had been reattached. A gray mist I had never seen before filled the forest, fluid-like and surprisingly harmonious to the touch¡­ I knew it was this gray fluid that had brought me back to life. From then on, I could communicate directly with the children, who helped me avoid the patrolling villagers and the rare and dangerous members of the church. Latter, I found this sturdy big tree, and in reaching a symbiotic agreement, established my and the children¡¯s chicken nest underneath it. As long as I eradicate the ill villagers and the people from the church, I can be completely at ease.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen nodded slightly, While he listened to Old Mother Chicken¡¯s story, his gaze remained fixed on her eyes, not detecting any anomalies, yet Yi Chen still had several doubts. Firstly, this story has an ¡®important gap¡¯. Old Mother Chicken¡¯s death and resurrection had neatly skipped the most crucial parts¡ªthe forest¡¯s grayification, the formation of high walls¡­ What exactly happened during that time is quite crucial for our subsequent investigation. Moreover, Old Mother Chicken had never had any contact with the cult, and further information still needs thorough investigation. Additionally, Old Mother Chicken¡¯s claim of her fortuitous survival seems a bit far-fetched, and she had not given her reason for staying here. ¡°I have a question, Since the village has completely changed, why must you stay here? With your current ability, you could surely take your children and move through the underground away from the tree-walled interior area or even leave this forest to find a safer place to settle. Why sacrifice these children to confront the church? Why take the greater risk of seeking cooperation with us?¡± Old Mother Chicken still smiling, stroking a golden-feathered chicken in her lap, said: ¡°Because, when the Village Chief dragged me to the backyard, I wasn¡¯t the first to be beheaded. I had a well-behaved child at home¡­ In front of me, the Village Chief first chopped off this child¡¯s head. My old bones have long stopped caring about life or death; the only thing I cared about was this child.¡± As she spoke, all the eyes on Old Mother Chicken¡¯s forehead opened, and her expression grew even more ferocious, radiating an intimidating aura similar to that of a Severe Patient. The golden-feathered chicken in her palms began to grow restless, The golden feathers slowly parting, between its ¡®plump¡¯ body, revealing a human face¡­ or rather, this was not a chicken at all, but a human head, with the golden outer feathers as hair. A young girl¡¯s head, Her murky pupils showing no emotion, This was Old Mother Chicken¡¯s only family member, her just nine-year-old niece. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Busybody Grannys Request (9th Update) Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Busybody Granny¡¯s Request (9th Update) The meddling old lady caressed the head of the young girl in her hands, her forehead full of chicken-like eyes expressing a sorrowful mood. ¡°I have another rather excessive request,¡± ¡°If you are confident enough, I hope you can bring back the Village Chief¡¯s ¡®Living Human Head¡¯ to me. In return, I am willing to give everything I have now, including this old frame of mine.¡± Watching the head of the young girl in the old lady¡¯s arms, Yi Chen stepped back with his right foot, left hand across his chest, and bowed slightly, ¡°I will do my best¡­ However, before we head to the village, you need to provide the intelligence you have.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± From the old lady¡¯s hands, he received a map she had drawn herself of the inner area of the tree wall, including the specific distribution of the village and the church, as well as the villagers¡¯ daily patrol times and routes through the woods. In another of the old lady¡¯s records about the Church, since there had never been any direct contact, the strength of the Church¡¯s personnel was not known, only that these people rarely appeared in the village, and when they did, they were always shrouded in church robes. The most distinctive feature of the church robes was the Teaching Seal on the back, which the old lady had depicted in simpler lines on the notebook, A circle, Inside, a baby curled up, An umbilical cord connected to the belly was wrapped around the body, forming a complete circle, Suggesting a meaning of reincarnation and rebirth. ¡°Time is almost up. If you don¡¯t return to the surface, my chicken coop might be exposed.¡± ¡°Wait, one last question. Old lady, have you ever seen the other two human squads? Have you cooperated with them?¡± ¡°Of course, I have seen them. My children always pay attention to any outsiders who want to go to the village. But I haven¡¯t made contact with them. The reason is simple. When Xiao Pei passed by them swiftly, they hardly noticed and were unable to catch up even after they discovered it. Such a level is not enough to fight against the already diseased village, let alone the Mysterious Church lurking behind¡­ Cooperating with them would only increase the risk of exposing me. I must keep this old frame until I avenge my children.¡± Having said that, the old lady hunched herself up from her seat. One arm cradling her ¡®granddaughter¡¯, the other opening a secret passage for Yi Chen leading to the next room. ¡°Once you gather with your partner, Xiao Pei will open another passage to the surface for you.¡± The black chicken, Xiao Pei, just recently regained its freedom, reluctantly approached Yi Chen at the old lady¡¯s request. Before it could speak, familiar plant roots again bound its chicken neck. But this time Xiao Pei didn¡¯t struggle; although it was averse to strangers, this young man had at least saved its life from the hands of a madman. Following the secret passage opened by the old lady, they quickly arrived on the other side of the underground area¡ªthe Trap Room. As the old lady had said, Some villagers who might have found the coop during their search nearby, lured by the flock of chickens, fell into the traps and were all locked underneath. As the chicken and man exited the secret passage, the black chicken Xiao Pei, in a state of fright, flapped its wings chaotically, hiding behind Yi Chen. The battle that took place here had long ended. In the center of the Trap Room was a pile of corpses around four meters high, and Jin, in his colorful suit, was sitting with crossed legs at the very top. In his right hand, he held the buzzing Pig Head Chainsaw, His left hand over his mouth, yawning. ¡°They were all a bunch of inept, feebleminded Patients, totally uncoordinated~ They charged at me one by one to meet their deaths. It was somewhat interesting to test the new weapon on them at first, but it got boring after a while. This village really likes to produce such incompetent trash. William, it seems you have made a good talk on your part, how did it go?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got enough intelligence to get us closer to the underlying truth, to touch upon more interesting things.¡± Jin continued to ask, ¡°Is there any need to kill the chicken breeder around here?¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pei became fully ruffled and trembled all over. ¡°Not for now. The old lady will be helpful for our subsequent truth investigation and let us come into contact with more dangerous matters beforehand.¡± ¡°` ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead~¡± Jin lightly jumped down beside Yi Chen, crouched, and touched Little Pei, scaring it into a nonstop clucking frenzy. ¡°You¡­ you follow me, cluck cluck!¡± Leading the two humans, Little Pei ran along a slightly upward sloping secret tunnel at top speed. It suppressed the fear within its body, wishing to quickly get rid of the two terrifying humans. When they pushed the boulder covering the ground exit, they were back at the forest clearing where they first found Little Pei, with the stone path to the village not far off. It was as if they had disappeared for more than ten minutes and were back on track to exploring the village. Now that they were back on the surface, Little Pei had no intention of continuing to lead the way and again spoke in human tongue: ¡°Walk forward another six or seven hundred meters to reach Shebolt Village, cluck cluck!¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t force it and immediately released the vines from its neck, crouching down to touch the chicken¡¯s comb. ¡°Hmm! Let¡¯s meet again after we kill the Village Chief.¡± ¡°The entire village has changed, and it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been inside. The Village Chief¡­ is very dangerous, and the folks in the Church are all very dangerous, too. I¡¯ve occasionally seen people from the Church, and they can [fly]. ¡°They¡¯re nothing like the villagers you faced before, be very careful, cluck cluck!¡± The more Little Pei talked, the more frightened it became, immediately flapping its wings and scurrying back into the tunnel, seemingly just a chicken, yet it could move the huge boulder with its claws and seal the entrance shut. Just then, Jin¡¯s emotions fluctuated greatly, she turned around, wrapped her arms around Yi Chen¡¯s neck, her mask was very close, even faintly hearing her breathing. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect these chickens to be this interesting. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a mutation that doesn¡¯t attack humans actively~ Maybe after this, we could catch one as a pet. Lucky that you stopped me, William¡­ Did I scare you a bit earlier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand.¡± Jin cocked her head slightly, ¡°Understand? If I change my mind now and turn your head into a bomb¡­ would you understand me then?¡± Yi Chen answered emotionlessly, ¡°If you indeed need to make my head into a bomb to defeat the powerful foes here, I would completely understand. Please, do me the favor of sending the rest of my body back to Easton Cemetery, that would be like coming home.¡± Hearing this, Jin seemed to take him at his word, ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s agree! If we find ourselves in peril and the flesh I¡¯m carrying is all used up, I¡¯ll cut off your head and use it as ¡®the last bomb.¡¯ After all, your brain is where the Emblem is imprinted, and you¡¯ve also absorbed so much Brain Marrow Fluid from the Patients! A bomb made from it will definitely burst forth with a true Red Lotus! Come on, let¡¯s pinky swear!¡± When Jin raised her pinky finger, Yi Chen did not hesitate to hook his own with hers. As the pact was made, she slightly lifted her mask, revealing familiar delicate pink lips, and on tiptoes, she lightly kissed him on the side of his face. This sudden move made Yi Chen step back abruptly, distancing himself. The reason was simple, at the touch of the lips, it felt more dangerous than any previous contact¡­ as if she was about to inject some sort of time-sensitive explosive material into his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m not going to blow up your head now~ This is just a simple reward for you.¡± Saying so, Jin stepped forward, pressing her lips close to Yi Chen¡¯s ear, whispering. ¡°Let me tell you a secret! You are the only man who has accepted my kiss without getting his head blown off. By the way, does this count as a first kiss?¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t want to respond, pointing towards the road leading to the village ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve already delayed for too long.¡± ¡°Boring~¡± ¡°` Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 97: The Pathological Village (10th Update) Chapter 98: Chapter 97: The Pathological Village (10th Update) [Shebolt Village] The burning ¡®firewood¡¯ in the Village Chief¡¯s fireplace was actually emitting billowing black smoke, more resembling dried up limbs of a creature than any kind of wood. The Village Chief, about two and a half meters tall, was sitting at the dining table, even his thick coat could not conceal his robust and unreasonably large physique, and the oversized waterproof leather shoes on the floor seemed to be custom-made for him by the village cobbler. A standard wooden table in front of him looked almost like a toy, black skin and pure black pupils, his large hands, calloused and marked with black runes, lay flat on the tabletop, Such a Village Chief appeared restrained because sitting opposite him was a ¡®guest¡¯ wrapped in a black church robe. In front of the guest was a ¡®Fine Wine¡¯ specially prepared by the Village Chief ¨C light pink, bubbling, and emitting a slight fishy smell. ¡°What brings the Assistant here to my place?¡± ¡°Two humans are approaching the village¡­¡± ¡°Like the situation last time, are they sacrificial offerings coming to meet their demise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not quite the same; just the two of them easily infiltrated the ¡®Human Tree Wall¡¯ we cultivated, and they broke through the first test designed by me without a scratch. Their performance was very good, and that person values them highly; they might become critical [sacrifices]. And your village will be their second test. If necessary, allow them to destroy the whole village¡­ After all, the lord¡¯s ritual has reached its final stage, and everything here has no significance for ¡®His Birth¡¯ anymore. Furthermore, this is the grace you have earned through your hard work, bestowed personally by that lord.¡± A hexagonal Black Ebony Box was placed on the table, the lid carved with the Church symbol ¨C a newborn wrapped in an umbilical cord. Even though the box was tightly sealed, one could still smell the ¡®Aura of Birth¡¯ inside. Upon seeing this object, the Village Chief¡¯s entire body began to tremble with excitement; everything he had done was for this moment, to receive this gift that could bestow ¡®birth¡¯. Opening the lid, a bloodstained umbilical cord was coiled inside in a disc shape. When the Village Chief reached out his hand, the umbilical cord also began to crawl. The moment they touched, the Village Chief instantly plunged into memories of his youth, even clearly feeling the vigor of that time and his lively physical body. Just as the Village Chief wanted to connect further with the umbilical cord. The black-robed Assistant suddenly pressed down on the Village Chief¡¯s wrist, momentarily interrupting the connection. ¡°Remember! Once you receive the umbilical cord, it means you have established a ¡®blood kinship¡¯ with the lord¡­ If you act against the Church, against the lord¡¯s will in any way, this relationship will be forcibly severed. You will be stripped from the ranks of the ¡®new mankind¡¯.¡± ¡°I will complete the mission.¡± ¡­ The camera cuts back (Yi Chen and Jin) On their way to the village, nothing happened; not even a single villager was seen. ¡°It¡¯s strange, even if the villagers created through hastening don¡¯t hinder us much, there should still be some presence, even a Watcher or two. It¡¯s as if they are actively waiting for us to come, waiting for us to step foot into this critical site of the village, There might be traps laid inside the village, or perhaps the Church that occupies this place is brewing a special plan we don¡¯t know about.¡± Jin was unconcerned, ¡°Nothing to worry about¡­ Only the weak like to delay. I¡¯ve encountered many similar situations before, and no matter what they tried, they were still easily crushed by me in the end.¡± She continued with her light steps, hopping and skipping ahead. Soon, buildings of the village began to appear in their view, and even Jin slowed down and eventually stopped. Little Grape also poked out from the collar, joining Yi Chen in gazing at the spectacular scene ahead: ¡°No wonder we haven¡¯t seen any animals other than the ¡®chickens¡¯ since we entered the tree wall¡­ Were they all concentrated in the village?¡± ¡°What in the world happened here¡­¡± Yi Chen moved to a higher spot nearby, observing a corner of the completely Pathological village. According to the village map provided by Mrs. Chicken, Shebolt Village had been the largest village among the valley forests. By area, it was even larger than Green Lake Town. Currently, the village Yi Chen saw was enveloped in a mystical fog distinctly different from the grayification, primarily purple and red. It was as if a thin veil had covered the village, and any creature that set foot in the village was inevitably affected and eroded by this mystical fog. The mammals that once lived inside the tree wall had all gathered in the village for some reason, The roads and building surfaces within sight were crowded with animals¡¯ ¡®bodies¡¯; they even seemed to be a major part of the village¡¯s environment. The use of ¡®bodies¡¯ is because it was unclear whether these animals were alive or dead and their exact condition. Their physical forms had merged with one another, sticking to the ground, clinging or hanging on the surfaces of residential buildings, and even completely embedded between the soil and roads, for instance: 1. One could see a buffalo covered in rabbit fur lying in the middle of the road, its abdomen still wriggling white hair that resembled a rabbit¡¯s tail, 2. A goat, drenched with bats, hung from the edge of a roof, even sprouting bat-like wing buds on its back, 3. Also, a bizarre swollen mass that combined traits of rats, pigs, horses, and black bears crawling slowly in the streets, 4. Some roofs had¡­, even floating elephant carcasses that were enormously swollen due to bizarre gases accumulated inside, glowing pink like oversized realistic balloons. Their trunks lifted high, each breath spraying out a vast amount of phantasmic substances. ¡­ However, all these animals shared one common feature. Their bodies were covered with large, colorful, uniquely shaped fungi (more inside the elephants). The fungi connected their bodies, and the caps of these fungi often had pores that released spores as the animals breathed¡­ It was these spores that formed the mystical fog enveloping the village. Moreover, From what could currently be seen of the village, there was not a single ¡®person¡¯. ¡°Is it a deliberate lure to draw us into the village, or a kind of ¡¯empty fort strategy¡¯ to urge us to bypass it and quickly head towards the Church in the back mountain? The information we have is still far from sufficient. Since we are in the investigation phase, it¡¯s better to clear up everything. Heading straight to the Church might cause us to miss some important details, even key clues.¡± Just then, Grape suddenly transmitted a message: ¡°William, the village you see before you can now be considered a ¡®Gray Domain¡¯¡­ Although you are protected by plants, clothing, and me, you still need to be careful. The creature capable of creating a ¡®Non-Natural Grey Zone¡¯ is hard to deal with. Make sure to ensure your own condition before finding this creature.¡± ¡°Non-Natural Grey Zone, got it.¡± Yi Chen spread his fingers and pressed his hands to his face, weaving a full-protection mask. ¡°Jin, do you need help making a filtering mask?¡± Jin lightly tapped the colorful mask on her face with her fingertip, indicating she didn¡¯t need one¡­ and her body also started to tremble. ¡°Grey Zone! Although it¡¯s very small, it indeed is a Grey Zone¡­ The environment is thoroughly infected and chaotic, my body actually refuses to step into the village; how interesting. Come over here, I can¡¯t wait to go inside and take a look.¡± When Yi Chen jumped down from the high point and walked along the village stone road, Jin surprisingly took his hand very actively, locking fingers with him. It wasn¡¯t meant in a romantic way, ¡®Contact-Explore¡¯ is a common method for rookies investigating the Grey Zone, implying that explorers should maintain direct physical contact during their first Grey Zone investigation, This contact can effectively prevent the dynamic environment within the Grey Zone from separating the team and also allows them to detect each other¡¯s mental states, reminding each other and reducing the possibility of mental invasion. Although Jin seemed very impulsive, wanting to obtain the body of a stronger being, it was still her first Grey Zone exploration. If she were lost, the fun would be over. As the two stepped into the village together, the village seemed to sense the arrival of outsiders, the airborne spore dust gathering specifically, Even with the protection of clothing, their body temperatures began to rise progressively, and a primal biological desire started to spread within their bodies. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 98 The Real Villagers Chapter 99: Chapter 98 The Real Villagers Although the gentleman¡¯s clothes were highly sweat-absorbent, they could not stop the sweat from constantly seeping out from Yi Chen¡¯s forehead, each droplet carrying the scent of hormones. The rising body temperature and the emergence of primitive desires quickly made Yi Chen realize that the spores permeating the air could slowly penetrate the clothes and the plant defenses, subtly influencing the body. Perhaps it was the Grey Zone that enhanced the spores¡¯ ability to infiltrate. The hands the two held were continuously wet with sweat, even dripping down between the fingers¡­ slippery and sticky. This sensation was like a sweltering country cottage, where a man and a woman were squeezed into a stuffy bedroom when a power outage occurred. As they walked along the village roads, they drew closer to each other until they stopped in their tracks and turned to face each other. Even separated by masks, they could still hear each other¡¯s increasingly rapid breathing, the Siamese deer stuck to the side of the road, the bat with a goat¡¯s head sitting on the lawn, and a giant pig mother in the midst of giving birth all watched the pair, even feeling them writhe, their flesh and hair continuously whispering, carried clearly to their ears by the airborne spores. ¡°Combine with us, join us,¡± The only one unaffected here was the little grape, but it did not stop what was happening before its eyes, as it didn¡¯t see it as harmful. Moreover, it was quite eager to see the marvelous scene of the two humans it found interesting combining. At that moment, Yi Chen stretched out his sweaty palm and gently placed it on Jin¡¯s neck, slowly sliding up her smooth skin, trying to press against her cheek to remove her mask. The mask slowly slid up under the push of his palm, revealing lips already moist, just as he was about to get a glimpse of Jin¡¯s entire face. Snap! A superfast slap struck the side of Yi Chen¡¯s face, even causing a small explosion at the point of contact. The slap sent him flying and crashing in front of a wooden house, crushing dozens of disgusting mushrooms releasing spores. The intense ringing in his ears, the sting on his cheek, and the dizziness in his head snapped Yi Chen back to reality. His entire right face had been blown open, exposing all his teeth and gums, with flesh hanging off the side of his face. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s refreshing!¡± Yi Chen himself felt as if he had poured a bottle of cologne straight into his mouth, cooling and explosive. He pressed his palm to the wound on his cheek, extruding fresh green plant roots to stop the bleeding, suture, and heal. At the same time, Yi Chen looked up at Jin, who stood on the road. She showed no killing intent, merely moving her mask back in place¡­ just silently watching Yi Chen, who had been sent flying, without speaking for a long while. One thing was certain, both had been affected, awakening the deep-seated desires of living organisms. If they hadn¡¯t attempted to remove their masks, they might have truly experienced ¡®deep contact.¡¯ Yi Chen was the first to speak, breaking the awkward silence. ¡°It seems the environment here can stimulate the ¡®combination¡¯ desire of living beings. Once such an act is initiated, it might lead to a real combination in the process, even genetic matching.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Jin simply acknowledged with a sound, then walked over to Yi Chen and pulled him to his feet. ¡°Jin, let¡¯s slightly modify our ¡®contact-based investigation,''¡± Whoosh! Roots grew out from Yi Chen¡¯s palm, slowly wrapping around Jin¡¯s wrist. Connecting their wrists with the plants, forming a bracelet to maintain contact. The length could stretch up to ten meters, with robust tensile strength¡­ should an external force act, the roots would quickly contract, avoiding the risk of being separated. ¡°What a troublesome Grey Zone type,¡± Jin¡¯s speech had noticeably diminished. As they slowly pulled away from the web of desires, their awareness of the environment began to return. A series of bizarre squishing noises of flesh could be heard. The sound was coming from the village houses behind them. Yi Chen also noticed a stone sculpture the size of a palm by the door: ¡°A sculpture of a woman embracing a child with the umbilical cord still attached, neither the child nor the woman had facial features carved.¡± Yi Chen turned his gaze to the other nearby houses, each with the same sculptures at the entrance, surely related to the Church. ¡°Jin, let¡¯s go in and take a look,¡± Yi Chen said as he pushed open the door¨Cwhich was not locked. The two adopted a cross-entry tactic, simultaneously entering the villager¡¯s wooden hut. The scene inside was shocking, surpassing the sights of the streets. The small and confined cabin, with all its usable space occupied, had even its floor covered with a soft, sticky substance between oil and skin layers. The wooden structure of the room was filled with fungi of various sizes, even sprouting branches and vines, blossoming with radiant flowers among the beams. It was like bursting into a nutrient-rich plant greenhouse, which on some level was quite pleasing to the eye. However, this initial beauty inside the cabin did not last long. Following the source of the fleshy sounds, the two stepped on the slippery floor as they moved further into the hut. Together, they leaned against the bedroom door, peering inside. A pile of grotesque rotting flesh was stacked on the completely collapsed bed, occupying two-thirds of the bedroom. One could barely make out the facial outlines of a man and a woman within this mound of flesh, Beyond that, it also contained three wild dogs, two cats, structures like sheep horns, a boar¡¯s snout, and more¡­ The rotting flesh, stimulated by spores and dust, kept writhing, the slapping and squeezing of flesh created the ¡®fleshy sounds¡¯ Yi Chen had heard, filling the room with an odd smell. Clearly, the giant rotting flesh was undergoing some kind of intense life activity. About a minute passed. Pfft! A large amount of flesh-colored liquid was expelled from the rot, with this liquid covering the ground and causing the stickiness and slipperiness inside the cabin¡­ Moreover, among these expelled fluids, a grotesque infant connected by an umbilical cord slipped out. Fertility completed. The grotesque infant continued to receive nourishment from the mother through the umbilical cord, growing to resemble a teenager within minutes. ¡°¡­Is this the source of the accelerated birth-type Patients?¡± ¡°Such fast fertility rates~ No wonder there are so many ¡®villagers.¡¯ Impossible to kill them all.¡± As Yi Chen and Jin expressed their attitudes towards the sickening phenomenon before them, The mass that filled the bedroom detected their presence, Whoosh! Several fleshy tentacles emerged from its rotting body, attempting to probe outside the door. As soon as the tentacles reached outside the bedroom, they were severed by an axe. The two young men appeared simultaneously at the doorway, Just as Yi Chen was about to switch to the axe¡¯s ¡°Slaughter Form¡± to execute the pitiful Patient inside the room, Jin stepped in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s not often we come across a real villager, leave this one to me¡­ The amount of flesh might yield something good.¡± Jin took an Instant Step, directly smashing the head of the growing infant. The death of the offspring caused the rotting flesh to tremble violently, its body vertically splitting open to reveal a large, tooth-filled maw with dozens of strong, fleshy tentacles emerging from within. Jin, however, did not resist, He willingly let the tentacles ensnare him and was dragged into the creature¡¯s body. The next second, A terrifying sound of an electric saw mixed with pig squeals erupted from within, And in response to the unfolding scene in the bedroom, Yi Chen chose to close his eyes. One could imagine it akin to a chef in a restaurant preparing a massive serving of pineapple rice, Choosing the largest pineapple and opting for a more violent approach, inserting a meat grinder from the bottom of the pineapple to smash all the pulp from within. Afterward, slicing the emptied pineapple shell in half to use as a bowl for the rice. Jin, having finished the task, walked out of the room with a look of disappointment on his face, ¡°These Patients, mutated together, unable to move and only capable of giving birth, every offspring they produce takes part of their essence with them. The meat quality is poor, even worse than low-grade synthetic flesh, a complete waste of my time. But, you might find this useful, right?¡± With a gentle toss from Jin¡¯s other hand, two warm chunks of brain landed firmly in Yi Chen¡¯s hands. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 99 Village Chief Chapter 100: Chapter 99 Village Chief ¡°Jin, this fellow, seemed immersed in the pleasure of killing on the surface. Yet, she was actually able to precisely and perfectly strip brain tissue while encapsulated within the patient¡¯s body. Her personality might not be as bad as imagined, or perhaps it was her survival instincts suppressing her impulsive exterior on her first visit to the Grey Zone. If she could be slightly guided afterward and understood more deeply, perhaps a coordination point in her thoughts could be found to establish a more efficient partnership.¡± As Yi Chen reflected briefly, Jin was already standing in front of him, leaning forward, almost pressing up against him, ¡°Hurry up and show me how you use your professional abilities.¡± However, Yi Chen did not move, and the two masses in his palms shriveled up on their own, eventually turning into two dry, hard walnuts. Jin¡¯s expression turned very disappointed, ¡°So that¡¯s it? How boring¡­¡± As Jin spoke these words, Yi Chen had fallen into the brain immersion brought by ¡°Central Tasting.¡± This was the first time Yi Chen was assimilating two essences simultaneously, replenishing his brain matter while integrating two fragmented memory fragments. It felt somewhat like coffee with milk, simply fantastic. For a moment, the desire provoked by spore dust was instantly wiped clean, making his brain clear and unobstructed, and several shattered memories were successfully accessed. Unfortunately, the memories related to the Church were very vague, and memories involving the interior of the church were directly stripped away. The effective memories he was able to read were mainly after the onset of the mutation. The images related to ¡°Combination¡± in the memories made Yi Chen, as ¡®Memory,¡¯ very uncomfortable. A couple from the village returned from the Church and desired to reproduce that same night, but they could not separate once they engaged in the act, until their skins fully adhered and their bodies fused together¡­ yet, this biologically abnormal combination did not make them feel uncomfortable. During this process, the aura they emitted attracted the household¡¯s cats and dogs, the mice in the walls, and the goats kept in the backyard, all of whom contracted ¡°Combination Disease.¡± The increasingly intense scent even lured animals from the woods, eventually forming the rotten flesh form that Yi Chen and Jin saw, turning into a kind of immobile fertile ¡®patient.¡¯ They could produce three litters a day on average. The offspring they produced would be dealt with in one of the following three ways according to their condition. 1. [Unqualified]: Offspring that lacked a basic human form and could not mature quickly (85%) would be collected by ¡®Scavengers¡¯ from the village¡ª large-framed villagers carrying sacks. Based on the malformed offspring Yi Chen first found under the twisted trees, these unqualified offspring would be buried under different trees, forming a symbiotic relationship with the trees, becoming the forest¡¯s scouts through the ¡®animalization¡¯ of the trees. 2. [Qualified]: Offspring with a basic human form and mixed with other animal traits (14%) would continue to draw nutrients from the mother. If they could ¡®come of age¡¯ within one hour, they would become [Villagers]. This was precisely the origin of the breeding-type patients, and if they possessed certain traits, they would also find corresponding professions within the village, like the Butcher who Jin killed, who once worked in the village slaughterhouse, or the aforementioned ¡®Scavengers.¡¯ Most were just ordinary villagers, responsible for basic tasks like patrolling and inspecting around the village perimeter. 3. [Holy Embryo]: A rare few that had a complete human form and only carried standard goat traits ( Those were all the information Yi Chen could gather, but he himself was quite puzzled by it. Neither the books he had read so far nor the pathology knowledge taught by Teacher Zede had ever covered such ¡®illnesses,¡¯ It might be documented in the Pathogen Center of Hippocrates Hospital, but Yi Chen¡¯s current status was not sufficient to visit it. There¡¯s an issue with the ¡®essence¡¯ of this type of Patient. Generally speaking, Patients exhibit significant ¡®selfishness,¡¯ striving by any means to enhance themselves. However, the patients here voluntarily confine themselves in rooms, reproducing as in the early stages of infection, even at the cost of their own ¡®essence¡¯ to produce high-quality offspring. In the end, Death awaits them, which clearly contradicts the biological survival instinct. ¡°Even normal parents seldom wish to sacrifice their lives for their offspring¡­ not to mention that their offspring might not necessarily stay by their side.¡± There is only one answer: this type of reproduction must involve some ¡®benefit¡¯, If they can produce a ¡®Holy Embryo¡¯, the Church is likely to grant them a ¡®blessing¡¯¡­ This blessing might help them escape their current bondage and achieve a more perfect and free state of Patient disease, or even become accepted as members of the Church.¡± As Yi Chen was making these mental deductions, the animals integrated into the streets outside suddenly emitted a series of deep, strange noises, as if they were frightened by something or warning of something. Jin also smelled a strong and unusual meat scent at the same time, grabbed a pig¡¯s head, and dashed out immediately. Yi Chen quickly followed, ensuring the plant connection between their wrists did not break. In the depths of the blurry, colorful street, a huge figure was slowly approaching, shouldering a massive sack on his right shoulder, and leading a large, unidentifiable species of pet with his left hand. Only when he came into view did a dark-skinned man wrapped in a black trench coat come into sight. His physique was a size larger than Yi Chen¡¯s former teammate Darkberg, with bulging and strangely distributed muscles squirming under his clothes, heavy, strong, and sturdy. In his left hand, he was leading a ¡®Pitbull¡¯ two meters in length. To be exact, it was a diseased hunting dog with human heads all over its body. It randomly devoured combination animals in the streets, biting off a complete goat head in just one bite, crushing the tough goat horns in its maw as well. When the dog noticed the two young humans blocking its path on the road, its limb muscles instantly tensed up, and it leaped forward in a pounce! Clang! The thick iron chain around its neck tensed completely; the pet¡¯s unauthorised motion was firmly restrained by the dark-skinned man. As the dog went into a frenzy, the human heads growing on its body also began madly screaming. However, Yi Chen¡¯s attention, compared to the dog, was more focused on the dark-skinned man¡­ especially the black sack he was carrying on his shoulder, which felt extremely unsettling. This image also reminded Yi Chen of a special type of villager he had seen during memory retrieval ¨C the ¡®Scavenger¡¯. ¡°Scavenger? No¡­ The Scavengers in memory fragments didn¡¯t have such a huge physique, nor did they carry pets. What is this?¡± As Yi Chen felt puzzled, the dark-skinned man stopped ten meters away, ¡°Hello to you, foreign visitors, I am Kaldi, the Village Chief of Shebolt Village, welcome to our village¡­¡± Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 100 New Moon Chapter 101: Chapter 100 New Moon [Village Chief Cordy] When the other party finished introducing himself, Yi Chen, who had been guessing the person¡¯s identity, was also taken aback. One of the culprits behind the full-scale Pathological mutation of Shebolt Village due to immediate contact with the Church, he was also a target for ¡°the nosy lady¡¯s¡± revenge. On him must exist firsthand information from the [New Church], and defeating him might touch upon the true nature of this incident. The appearance of such an important figure right before the two of them made the sense of incongruity even stronger. But according to Yi Chen¡¯s observation, it was indeed only the Village Chief and his pet dog who had come here, with no other sources of danger around. ¡°As long as we¡¯re sure the only danger here is the Village Chief, no matter how off things seem, reading his brain information will reveal the conspiracy behind it. Grape, next you need to help me keep an eye on the surroundings while also observing the battle. If you spot any ambushers approaching or anything else that feels off, I will decisively end the fight with the Village Chief.¡± Grape became serious as well, not shirking the troublesome task Yi Chen had entrusted to her. ¡°Same rules as always, all the grapes afterwards are mine.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± In front of them, the aura emanating from the Village Chief was slightly weaker than Mr. Lee from the Twilight Clinic, but he was still categorized as a ¡°Severe Patient.¡± And special attention was needed for his restrained pet dog as well. At that moment, a trickle of saliva slid down the corner of Jin¡¯s mouth, and upon hitting the ground, was immediately absorbed by the nearby fungi which soon after self-destructed. Large amounts of iridescent dust rose around Jin, blending perfectly with her clothes, creating a beautiful solo portrait. She began to move her joints around, an extremely excited voice escaping from beneath her mask: ¡°Severe¡­ Patient! I haven¡¯t faced off against such a foe in a long time, and it just so happens to be my forte, a [Physical Illness]. I will treat this body with care, not using excessively potent explosions or reckless slicing¡­ I¡¯ll use the gentlest method to transform it into my possession.¡± Watching Jin itching to charge forward, Yi Chen was well aware that stopping her bloodlust now was next to impossible. The only thing to do was to provide an ¡®effective reminder¡¯. ¡°Jin! Look at me!¡± Faced with this sudden and strange request, Jin, in her extreme excitement, still swiftly turned her head to meet Yi Chen¡¯s demand. In the moment of eye contact, the third eye located on the shoulder also focused on Jin. Whir! A stream of gentle, water-like spiritual energy flowed through the vision channel into Jin¡¯s brain. Grape, with the ability obtained from the ¡°Lake Bottom Giant Eye,¡± could not only unleash a powerful Spiritual Shock causing rapid paralysis of consciousness but also transmit gentle, minute spirit energy, subtly influencing the target¡¯s Thought. The eye contact calmed Jin down slightly and made her willing to listen to what Yi Chen had to say next. ¡°All of this is too incongruous, too deliberate. From the time we entered the village until now, we have never encountered any ambush, and yet now we¡¯re suddenly meeting the Village Chief. We need to be extra cautious in the upcoming battle. The moment you sense anything amiss, or if unexpected ambushes or traps occur, do not get entangled in the fight.¡± Jin patiently made an OK gesture, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, haven¡¯t I said it many times? I don¡¯t want to die, you know! If I encounter a situation where I judge there¡¯s no solution and certain death is inevitable, I will use explosions to enable us to quickly escape the village, just like before. Right! Leave the Village Chief¡ªjust reaching severe Pathological mutation¡ªto me; you take care of his dog.¡± ¡°Okay, after I deal with the dog, I will come to assist you immediately. Moreover, pay attention to the black burlap bag on the Village Chief¡¯s shoulder¡­ From the Memory Fragment I obtained earlier, it¡¯s a Tool used by ¡®Scavengers¡¯ to collect juveniles. As for this thing on the Village Chief¡¯s shoulder, I cannot ascertain its specific function.¡± Jin¡¯s patience had run out; she placed her index finger against her lips. The hand that slid from her lips swiftly cut the plant roots connecting her and Yi Chen, retaining only the ¡°Plant Bracelet¡± wrapped around her wrist. ¡°Our link is temporarily severed; otherwise, it will interfere with my actions. Here I go!¡± Jin¡¯s shins were immediately wreathed in dark red energy filaments, and one could faintly hear the sounds of tiny explosions emanating from within. Boom! With a step, it was as if a vehement explosion had occurred beneath his foot, shattering the stone-paved path into footprints two centimeters deep. The bodies of the animals he passed on his route were crushed into a bloody pulp beneath Jin¡¯s feet. Unlike the swift pursuit of the black chick Pei, Jin¡¯s approach toward the Village Chief was abnormally heavy and steady¡­ Each step bore a tremendous killing intent that even caused the Village Chief to slightly frown. Simultaneously, the Village Chief released the iron chains in his hands, unleashing his loyal companion, bred with care and nurtured with attention. Howls of a dog¡¯s bark and a human face¡¯s scream erupted together, the beast charged at Jin with its mouth ripped wide, ready to tear. Just as the two were about to collide, Swish! A root of a plant shot out unexpectedly toward the beast, its attack prematurely detected by the human face on its side. Driven by its beastly instincts, the dog dodged swiftly, Whoosh! The root narrowly missed, but the several human faces on the side of the dog¡¯s body were still gravely sliced open, with three eyeballs even being gouged out and skewered on the root. After delivering an effective attack, the root quickly retracted, Yi Chen promptly snapped off the end of the root threaded with eyeballs, passing it to his shoulder. Smelling the scent of grapes, three fingers¡¯ worth of a small black hand reached out and grasped the root, devouring it as if eating roasted fish balls, one after another. ¡°The taste is barely acceptable, but there¡¯s a whiff of dog stink~¡± Little Grape, despite the look of disgust on his face, ate them all up clean. However, such an act completely enraged the beast, no longer targeting Jin but instead furiously charging at Yi Chen not far away. In its sprint, it further ripped its mouth open wide enough to swallow a normal person¡¯s upper body in one gulp. Besides the densely packed sharp teeth covering its tongue and mouth cavity, some human facial structures protruding from its throat were visible, indicating that flesh bitten into would further be chewed up by the human faces. ¡°Physical Patient, this is my first encounter with one.¡± When Little Grape ducked back into his body, Yi Chen calmly undid the briefcase, wielding a silver blade with a black handle in his hand. In the instant the hunting dog leaped forward, Yi Chen thrust his thumb into the spiked mechanism on the axe handle, causing blood to flow out, and the mouse-shaped sculpture at the end bared its sharp teeth and unfolded its small claws. It was as if one could hear a chorus of rats gnawing, the rat amalgamations on the nearby streets and buildings aimed their gaze over and even struggled to move under the pull of the weapon¡¯s aura. The whole axe radiated a blood-colored glow, and sawtooth-like teeth began to sprout on the surface of the blade. ¡°Slaughter Form¡± At the same time, a number of tenacious plant roots also wove a protective structure over the hand, jointly gripping the axe handle. Yi Chen stepped forward, lowered his center of gravity, his gaze intently fixed on the gaping maw of the mutated hunting dog, lining up and locking onto the ¡°Cutting Midline¡± between the jaws, Swish! A red crescent arched through the air, Yi Chen, advancing in a lunging stance, maintained his slicing motion, copious amounts of blood and brain matter splashed over him, and even a long strip of intestine got hung over his shoulder, which Little Grape then slurped up cleanly like noodles. The over two meters long, much larger than a human, Pathological hunting dog was perfectly bisected by the blood moon-like slash. The roughly equal halves of the left and right body plummeted to the ground on each side of Yi Chen, The human faces on the beast¡¯s body screamed in agony due to the excruciating pain¡­ Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: 101 Mutation Chapter 102: 101 Mutation ¡°Little Grape, you take the left, I¡¯ll take the right!¡± Diversify the field of vision, swiftly scanning for the Pathogen Core within the dog¡¯s body. Just when conducting the visual search, from the jaggedly sawed and torn wounds of the dog¡¯s body, outstretched a pale human arm, followed by a young boy in agonizing pain, with sparse hair and his body coated in slime. ¡°Brother! It hurts so much~ I feel awful! I want to get out, I want to leave this place.¡± Similarly, another emaciated arm crept out from the other half of the dog¡¯s body, squeezing an old man¡¯s weathered face among the organs. ¡°Young man¡­ please kill me quickly, I beg you.¡± However, this scene didn¡¯t affect Yi Chen in the slightest; in his past life, he had witnessed countless such situations, under the mask of hypocrisy, they were all gaping maws eager to devour you. Swinging the Hand Axe, he first severed the half of the dog¡¯s body that had sprouted the little boy at the waist and proceeded to chop multiple times until the Big Bloodletting effect was achieved. The lacerated wounds on the surface of the dog¡¯s body joined together, forming an enormous, blood-stained gash bleeding in unison. Pop! Like piercing a balloon filled with red paint. The Big Bloodletting caused the half of the dog¡¯s body to entirely burst into a mist of red, scattering in all directions, reduced to the smallest particles of flesh. Unfortunately, luck was not in his favor, and he lost the 50% bet. The Pathogen Core was hidden on the old man¡¯s side. When he turned back, the other half of the dog¡¯s body had already combined with the old man who had crawled out from within¡­ half of it remained the original hound, the other half the body of the old man, jointly supported on the ground. This creature, part human, part dog, made Yi Chen feel immensely disgusted. ¡°The ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ of an Ordinary Patient should be easy to find. This dog must have been modified by the Village Chief, deliberately hidden away. We can¡¯t delay any longer, I need to treat this quickly.¡± Considering Jin was alone dealing with the Severe Patient, and in the enemy¡¯s home ground¡­ even though there were no outside interferences at the moment, he still felt uneasy. Huff~ taking a deep breath Yi Chen lowered his center of gravity again, almost on the same horizontal line as the dog. Left hand on the ground, right hand holding the Moon of Slaughter, the plant mask on his face was thoroughly dyed red, even the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ was influenced by the intent to kill, with the recently absorbed blood mist, the gentleman¡¯s clothes emitted a faint red glow. With such a pose combined with the overflowing intent of slaughter, the Pathological hound involuntarily took a step back due to its biological instinct, Suddenly! Boom! Not far off, a violent explosion erupted in the village streets, the dog could sense its Master being harmed, the ¡®protection mechanism¡¯ implanted in its brain fully activated. No longer fearing the human in front, even more terrifying changes occurred to the dog¡¯s body. Ugh! The human-like heads protruding from the dog¡¯s body all began to vomit in pain, and from their gaping mouths grew sinewy arms without skin, one after another bracing against the ground, serving as extra appendages. The Village Chief¡¯s dog now looked more like a human-faced spider. The multiple arms, along with the original limbs, rushed forward! This burst of Extreme Speed in an instant was unimaginable, and the twisting wrists kept altering the trajectory, making it hard to track. However, when Yi Chen saw this scene, his expression was somewhat strange. The crawling stance of the hound, made him recall sparring sessions with Zede, his teacher. Zede would often adopt a ¡®crawling¡¯ movement pattern, saying that being closer to the ground was fundamental to life, allowing the body to parallel the earth, aiding in physical sensation and scrutiny. Lessons from teacher Zede echoed in his mind at this moment: ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on superficial cutting, make sure to display all the ¡®inner beauty¡¯! Regardless of any body structure, size or corpulence, there are common traits in the flesh of living beings. Turn the act of slaughter into Appreciation of art, into an exploration of the Origin of the flesh¡­ eviscerate their bodies, savor it to your heart¡¯s content!¡± In that moment, Yi Chen became a primordial beast entering the ¡®Paradise State¡¯, charging head-on at the hound, just before the collision, the hound opened its gaping maw again, and the appendages on its body also reached out attempting to grab Yi Chen, so that the dog¡¯s head could crush him in one bite. Faced with this, Yi Chen made only one move, [Left Arm Extending] Just one left arm stretched towards the hound¡¯s gaping mouth, and just when it seemed about to be torn and chewed to pieces. Hum! Steam billowed from Yi Chen¡¯s head, and the ¡®Emblem of a Book¡¯ at the back of his skull was fully lit up, activating the Pathological Characteristic associated with [Intelligence] to its maximum extent. One could even clearly see the restless green tendrils squirming beneath Yi Chen¡¯s skin. In an instant, Hundreds of roots and vines sprouted from his left hand, constructing a gigantic plant palm on the basis of his palm¡¯s structure, exceeding the mouth of the hound and even larger than the hound¡¯s head. He squeezed the hound¡¯s mouth shut with a grip! Not only that, the plant hand that gripped the hound¡¯s mouth continued to grow spiky roots, piercing through the top and bottom of the entire mouth, rendering it unable to open. The dog, with its mouth sealed, still tried to struggle, But the hand axe on the other side was already swinging down, Slashing through the pathological rotting flesh between the neck, cutting through the cervical spine¡­ whoosh! The entire hound¡¯s head, along with the arms that tried to block the way, were severed, flung into the air. Before the beheaded hound had time to twitch a few times, Yi Chen¡¯s left hand, previously used to seal the mouth, shrank back to its normal size and reached into the hound¡¯s sliced-open neck, digging into its body. Snap! There was a sound of something being crushed, and the twitching stopped. Disease extraction complete! As Yi Chen pulled his left hand from the corpse of the dog, he was holding a slightly crushed canine cyst between his fingers. Such a ¡°Pathological Core¡± needed to be collected, as it would undoubtedly fetch a good price back at Zion. Yi Chen had no intention to rest, his gaze immediately turned to another battle zone. The road and streets were filled with explosion craters of varying sizes, many of the beasts caught in the crossfire were blown beyond recognition. The Village Chief¡¯s black coat had been destroyed by the blasts, his pathological flesh fully exposed. Only then did Yi Chen finally get a clear view that the burlap sack hung over the Village Chief¡¯s right shoulder was not a separate object but a ¡°Black Tumor¡± grown from proliferated flesh, As it hung behind the shoulder, it was large and open-mouthed, resembling a burlap sack on his back. During the fight, the Village Chief repeatedly tried to stuff Jin into it, but could never capture Jin, who possessed extreme speed. The timing was just right, As Yi Chen looked over, he arrived at the final moment of the battle. The electric saw had been completely destroyed by the Village Chief¡¯s brute force; a pig¡¯s head hung on a nearby house, the saw blade scattered on the ground. However, By targeting the abdominal wound she had created earlier, Jin successfully extended her entire right arm into the Village Chief¡¯s body. This was Jin¡¯s strategy from the start of the battle, finally managing to break open the Village Chief¡¯s flesh, as tough as steel. The right hand extended into the Village Chief¡¯s abdomen was grasping a ¡°Compressed Meat Cube.¡± The Red Lotus blossomed on the surface of the meat cube. ¡°Ultimate Explosion¡± Boom! Light instantly enveloped both of them, a terrifying mushroom cloud rising from the explosion point. When the smoke cleared, Jin¡¯s right hand and the Village Chief¡¯s torso were both obliterated. Whoosh! The syringe, which had been prepared in advance using synthetic flesh, was quickly inserted into the break in her right arm, which then began to regenerate slowly. As her arm gradually recovered, Jin, with light footsteps, approached the Village Chief, who had a huge cavity blown into his trunk and his skeleton so shattered by the blast that he couldn¡¯t move. Even the Village Chief¡¯s ¡°Pathological Core¡± ¨C a heart with a steel shell riddled with cracks, oozing essence symbolic of life¡¯s origin, barely alive ¨C was exposed. ¡°So-so, I guess~ Except for your hard and strong body, there¡¯s nothing particularly notable. Just perfect since I specialize in physical strength and completely overpower you in terms of speed. Let me think, what kind of weapon should I make you into? A heavy hammer? Seems a bit inconvenient to carry. A giant axe? That might overlap with William¡¯s weapon, not quite suitable. Full-coverage gauntlets? That seems like a very nice choice¡­ Just bear with it for a bit, I¡¯ll have you turned into my very own exclusive weapon soon. Once we¡¯ve finished the investigation and returned to Zion, we¡¯ll proceed with refinement and transformation.¡± With that said, Jin even blew a kiss to the Village Chief. As she was preparing to perform flesh modification with her hands on the Village Chief¡¯s faint body, A strange sensation suddenly struck, In the vicinity of the Village Chief¡¯s abdomen, there emerged a distinct feeling of vitality, incredibly young, like that of a newborn baby. The next second, A bizarre umbilical cord burst out, tightening around a neck! Not Jin¡¯s neck, But it wrapped around the Village Chief¡¯s neck, suspending his roughly four-hundred-pound body in the air in a ¡°hanging state.¡± ¡°Jin! Be careful!¡± Yi Chen¡¯s warning reached her immediately, but Jin surprisingly froze on the spot. Perhaps drawn by the bizarre sight in front of her, Or perhaps hearing some unfathomable whisper, experiencing spiritual corruption, Or perhaps she had her own thoughts, simply wanting to seriously comprehend what was going on. The Village Chief, who should have been dead, suddenly opened his eyes, His shoulder tumor sack burst open, and the stationary Jin was instantly enveloped within¡­ Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 102 Death Chapter 103: Chapter 102 Death Open Source below, Severe Patients, Patients, and Primary Infected all share a characteristic¡ª¡±Weakness¡±, which is the Pathogen that has not fully combined with their physical and mental states, we only need to shatter the Pathogen Core to complete the kill. This is widely recognized and clearly explained in Pathology classes, with no exceptions. Even Mr. Lee, who had a gentlemanly background, infected with the rare ¡°Moon Transformation Disease¡± as a Severe Patient, could not erase this Weakness but could only hide it deeper. Currently, Jin had demonstrated strength beyond her peers, reaching the human Limit, and even resorted to her seldom-used ¡®tactical strategy¡¯. At the cost of sacrificing a pig¡¯s head and her entire left arm, she delivered a deadly blow to the Village Chief. The Village Chief¡¯s Weakness¡ª¡±Steel Heart¡±¡ªcracked with the explosion of Red Lotus inside his body, just a light touch away from completely shattering. The Village Chief also lost the ability to act, his aura becoming faint. Actually, even Jin did not expect that, her original purpose was to blow the opponent to death¡­ After all, facing such a formidable foe, once the idea of holding back crept in, the one to die would likely be herself. Unexpectedly, the Village Chief could be so tough, She used the chance between life and death to perform ¡°Weaponization Transformation¡± on the Village Chief who was at his last breath. The weapons produced in this manner naturally had higher activity. When Yi Chen witnessed this scene, he naturally slowed his pace, not disturbing Jin¡¯s ¡®post-battle handling¡¯. The situation in front of anyone would be deemed the battle was over. However, The emergence of a new umbilical cord instantly changed the situation. Little Grape shuddered and immediately issued a warning: ¡°What is this strange thing, doesn¡¯t look like something the Village Chief owns? William, tell your friend to be careful, it feels completely different!¡± Yi Chen also immediately shouted a warning and rushed toward Jin¡¯s location again. But unfortunately, For some reason, Jin just froze in place¡­ and was directly encompassed by the mutated Village Chief¡¯s swollen sack, and her aura completely vanished. ¡°Jin!¡± Yi Chen who was three meters away suddenly stopped. Neurotransmitters in his brain began to secrete in large quantities and transmit faster, creating neurotransmitters related to emotions crazily, and even some strange black spots slowly seeped out from the depths of his cerebellum, gradually overtaking his entire brain. Although his time with Jin had not been long, and her personality was quite quirky and unlikable in many ways, Yi Chen was willing to accept such a flawed companion, perhaps because he harbored similar ¡®flaws¡¯ himself. The color of Yi Chen¡¯s pupils also dimmed, and even specks of black material emerged in the lens of his eyes, almost dyeing his entire eyeball black. Crack! Yi Chen, standing still, suddenly twisted his head 90¡ã and then quickly snapped back to place, emitting a crisp cervical spine sound¡­ even feeling as though his neck had been twisted off. All of his body¡¯s joints, including his finger joints, also started twitching and popping. The feeling was quite strange, even eerie to describe. However, the Village Chief, now in a ¡®hanging state¡¯, completely ignored Yi Chen¡¯s odd state, his toes gliding on the ground as he approached rapidly in a ghostly hovering state. The Village Chief wanted to use this powerful new power to capture Yi Chen as well, displaying his strength. By doing so, he might even receive additional grace and even become a core member of the Church. As the Village Chief was about to approach, Whizz! A black shadow flashed by. The Village Chief could not even see what happened; he just instinctively dodged backward. Swish! Yi Chen, moving at a speed invisible to the naked eye, horizontally sliced the newly grown flesh of the Village Chief, leaving just a skin membrane connected, nearly splitting him in two. Death! Village Chief Cordy sensed an intense, real presence of death at this moment, even overpowering the new vitality he had just received, scaring him into retreating continuously, losing his will to fight. Just as Yi Chen was about to pursue, Little Grape suddenly sensed something inside him, Not sensing anything about Yi Chen, but feeling a ¡°surveillance sensation¡± fast approaching from behind¡­ exactly the same as the one felt earlier in the woods. A third party that had been secretly observing them intervened! Little Grape wanted to warn, But after quickly assessing the situation, it chose to bury itself deep inside Yi Chen, shrinking into a finger-sized black meatball, sticking to some flesh surface and entering ¡°dormant state¡±, its presence vanished. Outside, Yi Chen had just taken a step in the direction the Village Chief had fled¡­ whoosh! An arm clad in a black Church robe penetrated from his back, and then protruded from his left chest, firmly grasping a throbbing heart covered with green roots, Withdrawing the arm, it pulled out the heart along with it. Thump! Yi Chen¡¯s eyes went dark, and he fell to the ground, blood incessantly flowing from the opening in his chest. The newcomer was none other than Bishop¡¯s assistant, Theodore. He intervened early because he had already reached a conclusion. Jin¡¯s performance was excessively remarkable, whether it was the absolute control over his physical body, or his innate combat talent, and having reached the state of ¡°Limit of Man,¡± it was enough to designate Jin as the final sacrifice for the Birth ritual. Since the Village Chief had already successfully bagged the target, there was no need to continue testing. As for Yi Chen, Theodore, looking at the heart in his hand marked with plant patterns, showed a look of disdain. ¡°A body mixed with plant impurities, such material would only desecrate the Birth ritual¡­ However, since the body is related to plants and has a high nutritional concentration, it will be beneficial for the accelerated construction of our sanctuary. His body will be taken for proper processing to be used in the expansion of the high walls.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Village Chief nodded in response. In a hanging state, the Village Chief slowly descended to the ground, his umbilical cord retracting back into his body. The Village Chief, looking as he originally did, appeared extremely weak and staggered as he walked. But the wounds on his body had been filled and repaired by ¡®young¡¯ blood and flesh, the gaps in his Steel Heart also glued together with newly grown tissues¡­ This was the external power from the umbilical cord. Village Chief gave a hard yank, whoosh! He tore off a growth on his right shoulder completely and handed it to Theodore. Afterward, the Village Chief picked up Yi Chen, who had a chest wound, and collected his axe and suitcase, heading towards the village¡¯s ¡°Flesh Factory.¡± ¡­ In the silent and waveless black sea, a young man floated on the surface without any vessel. The most fundamental ¡°Thought¡± could not form in this sea region, all brain functions were unusable, he could only rely on instinct, heeding the call from afar. Sometimes, different types of vessels passed by him, either dropping down a rope, or casting a net, or throwing a piece of driftwood, yet the young man instinctively resisted climbing aboard, drifting alone, until a badly damaged wooden boat approached, an arm so rotten that the whitened bones were visible reached out to him. Only then did the young man actively grasp the arm, and when he climbed aboard the boat, the rotting ¡®rescuer¡¯ in front of him was himself¡­ or perhaps it had always been just him, he had simply climbed aboard the wooden boat that solely belonged to him. Hum! The lighthouse beam immediately fell on the boat. Under the illumination of the light, the young man¡¯s body rapidly evaporated, leaving behind only a white bone frame and brain tissue wrapped around the skull, turned black by the seawater. The beam further penetrated the skull, the black matter within the brain was gradually expelled, dormant thoughts were reactivated, and the sea was no more, the view before him began returning to reality. Clang~ Sounds of clashing iron chains came from above, accompanied by a piercing pain at the roots of his shins. Upon opening his eyes, he saw numerous hanging misshapen corpses, predominantly of human or animal origin¡­ and Yi Chen was among them. Stripped of his clothes, his shins were pierced by an iron hook hanging him upside down. The candlelight burning in different corners lit up this flesh-processing room, where a butcher with a pig¡¯s head was swiftly handling the bodies here, removing a body, placing it on a table, chopping it up, adding ingredients, a body¡¯s processing took no longer than five seconds, already forming a muscle memory¡­ after five turns, it would be Yi Chen¡¯s turn on the table. Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Escape from the Factory Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Escape from the Factory ¡°How did I come to be here? I only remember Jin being taken away by the Village Chief¡¯s tumor sack, then I rushed to rescue her right away, and after that, my memory gets very blurry.¡± ¡°Did I lose? Why am I not dead?¡± Dangling upside down, Yi Chen buried his head to inspect his physical body and immediately noticed the huge cavity in his chest, where the blood had long since clotted. ¡°My heart!¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the panic? It¡¯s just your heart taken by someone else. You¡¯re lucky; as long as the brain hasn¡¯t been destroyed, I can act as a temporary replacement.¡± The voice of Little Grape came at this time, and a faint vibration from the right side of the chest could also be felt, Yi Chen immediately controlled the plants inside his body to check the situation in the right chest, Little Grape had transformed into a heart structure covered with black hairs, adjoining the core blood vessels and perfectly taking over the function of the original heart. It even felt stronger than the original heart, and his body was incredibly light. Little Grape continued to speak: ¡°It¡¯s lucky the Village Chief was fast enough to bring you here within ¡®five minutes¡¯, otherwise if the delay was too long, your brain would have died from lack of oxygen¡­ Then I would have to tearfully eat your grapes and turn you into a controllable undead, and send you off to Easton Cemetery to bury yourself.¡± Yi Chen controlled the plant roots to gently slide over the surface of the black-haired heart, as if caressing Little Grape. Of course, such actions were utterly distasteful to Little Grape, who responded by giving Yi Chen a one-second heart stoppage. ¡°Whoa! Don¡¯t mess around¡­ If I really died, I suppose you would take care of the burial.¡± ¡°Stop blabbering, any moment now they¡¯ll come for your corpse to cut it up, find a way to escape! With so many corpses hanging here, you likely won¡¯t be noticed if one less is missing.¡± But Yi Chen didn¡¯t care in the least whether it was his turn, ¡°Why leave? Isn¡¯t it quite comfortable hanging here?¡± Little Grape immediately understood Yi Chen¡¯s intention, but still retorted with displeasure, ¡°If you speak to me in that tone again, I¡¯ll stop this heart right now!¡± Yi Chen, however, appeared unconcerned, while switching to another important topic, chatting while waiting in line to be taken to the slaughter. ¡°Little Grape, how was my heart taken out?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t remember that last part, huh? Aside from the Village Chief and you, there was a third person¡­ the first one who spied on you in the woods, probably related to the Church. That person had strong concealment, directly took out the heart from behind.¡± ¡°A suspected Church intervention? If the intruder is indeed the first one who observed us¡­ it seems they were very interested in Jin, while having quite the opposite attitude towards me, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be hanging here. So, the moment Jin gets captured, they would promptly finish me off. As for what they want with Jin, it likely has a close connection to some internal affairs of the Church. It¡¯s even possible that from the moment we set foot in the forest, the Church was assessing the quality of our bodies, with intentions of training us to become instructors or used for sacrifices or such. The details will only be clear upon contact with Church personnel, and killing the Village Chief might also shed some light on the situation.¡± As Yi Chen was thinking this through, the Pig Head Butcher had already approached him. The huge hand easily grabbed both shins and lifted him off the hook with an upward motion. Turning around, he threw, directly landing Yi Chen stably onto a blood-smeared processing table from several meters away, smack! While walking towards the table, the Butcher casually spun the slaughter knife in his hand, and through the eyes of the pig head mask, he seemed to already visualize the perfect ¡®decomposition line¡¯ based on Yi Chen¡¯s body proportions. The slaughter knife was raised, aimed at the waist, and was about to chop down when, the corpse on the table suddenly raised its left arm, smack! A palm strike hit the underside of the pig¡¯s jaw, visibly rippling a layer of meaty waves. The impact to the jaw sent shocks directly to the brain ventricles, as the pig brain continued to collide violently with the cranial walls, The intense dizziness nearly caused the butcher to stumble and fall. ¡°Root Piercing¡± The palm strike was merely an appetizer, the hand that was against the jaw instantly grew sharp root spikes, piercing through the pig snout and stitching it shut. At the same time, a net of plants blocked the esophagus and nasal passages to restrict any sounds that could bring trouble. Not just that, the plant burrowed down the pig¡¯s throat, rapidly searching the body for the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯. However, as a high-quality entity filtered out for catalyst illness, the butcher who could work here was naturally no simpleton. Even though he was dizzy and unable to breathe, he relied on the butcher¡¯s instinct, sensing the breath of life, and instinctively swung out a knife. This strike was incredibly swift and predictive~ whoosh! It cut into the shoulder, slicing open a terrifying ten-plus centimeter wound¡­ ultimately stopped by the net of plants inside Yi Chen¡¯s body. ¡°Found it!¡± At that moment, the roots had located the pathological tumor nestled between the stomach chambers. Crossing through! Whoosh! The pig head¡¯s eyes swiftly dimmed, and its corpulent body fell straight to the ground. Sitting naked with a hole through his chest at the edge of the workbench, Yi Chen held his hand over the slit in his shoulder and let out a wry, self-mocking chuckle: ¡°Without gentle man¡¯s clothes and weapons, my strength is greatly reduced; even utilizing such stealthy assault methods still results in injury. If that butcher¡¯s breathing hadn¡¯t been impeded, causing his brain to feel dizzy, the knife he swung just now might have severed my entire left side. Do I really have a certain dependency on weapons and clothing? Just as well, this serves as a chance to train my own abilities.¡± Yi Chen showed no emotional turbulence of a narrow escape; he simply accepted the situation calmly, thinking about how to continue the investigation alone. One hand pressed against the wound on his shoulder, tender sprouts like threads burrowed into the wound to stitch it up, While the other hand reached for the butcher¡¯s head, sucking the essence from the brains among the pig¡¯s brain flowers. As he absorbed nutrients, he also gained information about the ¡°meat factory¡± crucial for Yi Chen, who was trapped within it. ¡°Layered control, a factory with a perfect supervisory system¡­ trying to slip away unnoticed, there¡¯s a high chance of discovery. No choice but to do this.¡± Yi Chen hoisted the butcher¡¯s corpse onto the workbench, turning the tables. He hollowed out all unnecessary organs and tissues, retaining just enough muscle layer to craft a thick, plush, real leather coat. He donned the skin, Sewed on the pig head, Put on a black leather apron along with the slaughter knife, And after everything was ready, he even deliberately grunted twice, Following the memories in the butcher¡¯s brain, he attempted to escape the meat factory, The factory was extensive, located at the northern part of the village; much of its ¡°meat¡± came from deceased FertilityPatients. The FertilityPatients, due to their rapid growth, aged just as quickly. Typically after completing 3 to 5 patrol missions, they would voluntarily come to the factory to realize their final worth. The flesh obtained mainly had two uses: One was to make compressed food, distributed to every household in the village to replenish nutrients and improve fertility efficiency. The other was to make a soup easy for plants to absorb, used to irrigate the outermost tree walls, accelerating expansion and providing life, blocking outsiders from entering. One could say the factory was the most crucial place in the village, with the Village Chief often taking time to inspect and ensure the normal operation of each link. But recently, he hadn¡¯t been coming by as often, seemingly preoccupied with other matters. At present, he formulated three escape plans: 1. Boldly stick out the butcher¡¯s big belly, and walk from the ¡°slaughtering workshop¡± ¡ú ¡°Rest Area Corridor¡± ¡ú ¡°Production Workshop (Number One)¡± ¡ú ¡°inspection point¡±, covering over a thousand meters to leave through the factory¡¯s main gate. If intercepted by a higher-ranking workshop foreman, or even the Factory Director en route, he would have to fabricate excuses to get by; if exposed, he would have to shout the workers¡¯ chants and force his way out. 2. Stay here and continue the butcher¡¯s work, processing all the corpses and clocking out normally. This was the safest method, but would delay him by at least four hours. Not to mention, with the situation in the village and the Church continually worsening, Jin, who was taken away, could be in life-threatening danger at any moment. 3. Bulging belly and all, advance from the ¡°slaughtering workshop¡± ¡ú ¡°Rest Area Corridor¡± ¡ú ¡°Production Workshop (Number Two)¡±. Workshop Number Two was in charge of producing ¡®Meat Slurry¡¯; according to his memory, there was an overflow drain for excess meat slurry leading to an underground area that collected waste fluid. Due to the absence of any memory regarding the underground area, this escape plan carried a certain level of unpredictability. [Ten minutes later] Bulging belly and all, Yi Chen stood at the vile-smelling outfall, each inch of writhing, flesh-like wall testing his threshold for endurance. Clenching his teeth, He leapt down, timed with the shift change of the assembly line workers. If one were to describe this process, It was like an obese recluse who, after engaging in a binge eating session one day, died from overeating at home. Due to living alone, the body was left undiscovered for three days. Unexpectedly, a cockroach that blundered in crawled into the deceased¡¯s mouth, enjoying an unforgettable intestinal waterslide through the body filled with food remnants. Splat! Yi Chen crashed into an indescribable pit of mud. He swam to the shore area at full speed, immediately shedding the filth-caked pig skin coat, trying his best to suppress the physiological disgust. ¡°Finally escaped, hmm hmm~¡± As he spoke with the pig head mask still sewn onto his neck, pig noises accompanied his voice. After some thought, Yi Chen decided not to remove the pig head, continuing to keep it attached to his head. One, because it felt quite amusing; he himself quite enjoyed such role-playing games, Two, should he encounter any villagers or similar beings down there, he could still try to make an excuse, claiming he accidentally slid down from the factory while dumping the Meat Slurry. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 104 Underground Cave Chapter 105: Chapter 104 Underground Cave Giggle, giggle~ The plant-woven rag washed the pig head mask, meticulously cleaning every corner of it. Putting the clean pig head back on, along with Yi Chen¡¯s completely naked body, the look was hardly gentlemanly, yet it fit perfectly with the position of Shebolt Village. Yi Chen¡¯s lean body with oddly distributed muscles resembled a malnourished human-pig hybrid that had failed to be selected as the ¡°Butcher¡± and was abandoned in the filthy underground area. Due to the loss of the ¡°Moon of Slaughter,¡± he could only hold onto the meat-cutting knife issued by the meat factory, The knife¡¯s craftsmanship and sharpness were decent enough to ensure the efficiency of processing corpses. ¡°Until I get my weapon back, I¡¯ll make do with this! I hope I can find my axe and gentleman¡¯s clothes; otherwise, this investigative mission will be a big loss. Once I get out of this filthy underground area, I¡¯ll try to go to the Village Chief¡¯s house, maybe I can find everything at once.¡± Little Grape suddenly popped up: ¡°William~ at least avoid direct conflict with the Village Chief before you retrieve your weapon¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about the special state the Village Chief displayed at the end. Even though the Pathogen Core was destroyed, he could display an even stronger form. This ¡®Power¡¯ doesn¡¯t belong to him personally; it¡¯s likely derived from the Grey Zone or from the creature creating the ¡®abnormal Grey Zone,¡¯ sharing life through an ¡®umbilical cord¡¯ as a medium.¡± ¡°To truly kill the Village Chief, you must harm the creature that bestows him with life, and that requires your weapon.¡± It was rare to see Little Grape so serious, and Yi Chen just slightly smiled. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll seize the opportunity. Let¡¯s see what this place is all about¡­¡± Yi Chen¡¯s brain was still burdened with many doubts, all of which needed to be deciphered and reasoned through subsequent information gathering. Following the only underground passage, walking in the direction of the water flow, they traveled about a hundred meters, squeezing past a narrow gap in the path. A natural underground river came into view, It was a complex underground pipeline system formed primarily through erosion, including underground corridors and caves, once the lifeline of Shebolt Village, which was built here because of this underground river. Now, due to the village¡¯s Pathological state, the river was also polluted. The water surface was covered with various impurities, emitting a strong foul smell. ¡°Hmm? Is there something living down there?¡± He referred to it as ¡®something¡¯ because Yi Chen couldn¡¯t determine what sort of life form it was just by its appearance. It somewhat resembled the mass of rotten flesh seen in the villager¡¯s homes, yet it was very shriveled, severely yellowed, and even gave off a ¡®withered¡¯ feeling. The human facial structure on its surface was more pronounced, with one large and one small eyeball no longer ¡®blinking¡¯ and showing no gloss, seemingly awaiting the arrival of death. These ¡®things¡¯ either floated on the river¡¯s surface, merged with the rock walls, or were themselves part of the setting like a pillar-like object. As Yi Chen, wearing the pig head, slowly approached these things, their previously lifeless eyeballs suddenly turned, and their nostrils began to sniff slowly. Perhaps it was the sight of the pig head or the scent of blood from the factory, A trace of instinctual fear appeared on their faces, followed by a sense of relief, Struggling to open their mouths, conveying messages with their eyes, they seemed to be requesting this passing pig-head Butcher for a premature grant of death. ¡°These folks¡­ were they once villagers? Unable to contribute to ¡®Creation¡¯ anymore and having never successfully produced a Holy Embryo, they were abandoned here to fend for themselves. As Jin said, they over-bred, their flesh quality is very poor, not even matching the lowest grade faux meat, naturally, they wouldn¡¯t be taken to the meat factory,¡± Yi Chen simply walked past this group without giving nor taking anything; he was just a passerby. The scale of the underground lake was much larger than anticipated; it could even be described as sprawling. Making their way around several winding paths, stone galleries, Unexpectedly, deep in an underground cave, they discovered an old man who had killed himself before the village was infected, a decision that spared him from the subsequent ¡°Combined Pain¡± and also provided Yi Chen with a set of ¡°villager clothing.¡± Regrettably, the old man was short and frail, his clothes were too small to wear, and Yi Chen could only manage to put on the trousers as capris, but the straw shoes the old man had woven himself fit fairly well, After dressing up, at least walking wasn¡¯t painful, and his private areas were covered, preventing others from seeing him as a pervert. Since the clothes didn¡¯t fit, Yi Chen politely dressed the old man back. During this process of dressing, a sense of being watched suddenly came from behind, and Yi Chen sharply turned around. Although the cave environment was very dark, Yi Chen still saw a shadow that swiftly passed by, but he couldn¡¯t determine what it was. ¡°A villager with swift movement and vision in the dark? Could it be a watcher arranged by the village chief down here?¡± Yi Chen immediately let out a rather strong snort through his nose, to express his identity as the Butcher. If it really was a watcher arranged by the village chief below, they should reveal themselves to confirm identities¡­ but as time ticked by, there was still no movement. The feeling of being watched from the shadows persisted and shifted positions continuously. ¡°Not one of the village chief¡¯s people?¡± Just as Yi Chen speculated about the identity, the feeling of being watched suddenly drew closer with a speed that could even match Jin¡¯s¡­ ¡°So fast!¡± Yi Chen swung his slaughter knife in anticipation and shot out several plant roots with his left hand, trying to entangle the figure in mid-air. In the darkness, a slim figure, with a bone flexibility beyond human, dodged all the plant stabs in the air¡­ and swiped a claw towards Yi Chen¡¯s head. Clang! Sparks flew. The slaughter knife clashed with the claw, and the blade was left with two notches, shocking Yi Chen to the point of numbness in his palms. Moreover, the butcher knife he swung in anticipation only managed to block part of the claw, which left a huge slit in the pig-head mask, revealing the youthful face hidden under the mask. Just as Yi Chen prepared to counterattack, the attacker suddenly stopped their assault, and their killing intent also dissolved simultaneously. In his view, a ragged-dressed girl with black hair, barefooted, stood in front of him, Her body appeared extremely frail due to long-term malnutrition, her cheeks slightly sunken, and her legs as thin as bamboo poles¡­ Her dirty and messy hair partly hung in front of her, covering one eye and forehead. Her other eye gleamed with the luster of a black gem, moist and bright, staring intently at Yi Chen, full of curiosity. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not from the village, are you?¡± Yi Chen could tell immediately that the girl was not wearing the ¡®hypocritical mask¡¯ like others, He also concluded from his probe as a Butcher that she was not working for the village chief. ¡°Yes, I came from outside, trying to cure Shebolt Village. Unfortunately, I encountered some troubles on the way and was nearly killed, just escaped from a factory to here.¡± ¡°I see! I thought you were one of the bad guys from above. Especially since you¡¯re wearing the Butcher¡¯s hood, and were stealing Mr. Taijas¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Lene Histera, sixteen years old this year! My mom always told me to host well those who come from outside to help our village and try to become good friends with them. The village has been able to exist this long because it once accepted the help of someone who claimed to be a ¡®gentleman¡¯.¡± Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 105 Cooperation and Passive Cooperation Chapter 106: Chapter 105 Cooperation and Passive Cooperation In an elevated area of the underground cave, which one could reach only by passing through several narrow paths, lay the ¡°secret chamber.¡± This was the girl¡¯s home, where a bonfire built from wood was burning, emitting sounds similar to creaking joints. Some pieces of wood even writhed in the flames, as if they were living limbs. As for the source of the wood, it was just a matter of walking over three hundred meters along the stone corridors outside the chamber to reach the forest outside the village. The light from the bonfire strove to illuminate the entire stone chamber, while water seeping down from the carbonate layers dripped down the stalactites of varying lengths, collected in a handcrafted wooden basin for drinking and washing. Yi Chen and the girl sat opposite each other in front of the bonfire, with the pig head mask that had been cut by claws temporarily set aside. ¡°Besides drinking water, what do you usually eat?¡± ¡°Most of the time I eat this¡­¡± The girl directly reached her arm into the fire, pulled out a burning piece of wood, quickly shook it to extinguish the flames, and began gnawing on it right away. Surprisingly, even from a distance, Yi Chen could smell a meaty aroma wafting from the cooked branches. The girl asked with a smile, ¡°Did you think I would eat the ¡®drifters¡¯ in the cave?¡± Yi Chen did not respond, but took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Drifters? Do you mean the villagers who are deemed worthless and thrown down here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what ¡®worthless¡¯ means. I occasionally hear someone outside the well talking about ¡®drifters¡¯ before they throw them down here. They are mostly weak, almost near death. They either choose to float in the lake or use their last bit of energy to climb to the shore, waiting to die. I would not eat them. After all, they were once people from the village, whom my mom and dad knew. These branches are hard to eat, but they keep me alive. Sometimes, when I¡¯m lucky, I can catch chickens in the forest¡­ they are so delicious!¡± At this point, the girl drooled, seemingly having not caught a chicken in a long time. ¡°How did you end up down here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember very clearly, it seems like I¡¯ve been down here ever since I can remember¡ªmaybe my mom and dad sent me down here to protect me from bad people.¡± ¡°Your parents didn¡¯t come down with you?¡± ¡°No, it has always been just me¡­¡± Yi Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly changed, catching a significant contradiction. ¡°Wait! You said before that your mom told you that ¡®gentlemen¡¯ who help the village are good people. Since you¡¯ve been down here since you can remember, and never seen your parents, why would you remember that? You seem to remember a lot about your parents and even about the village.¡± When Yi Chen threw out these questions, the girl looked puzzled. She also bent her right leg and scratched her head with her big toe. She then gave Yi Chen a serious look: ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI also find it strange. Even though I¡¯ve always been down here, I have memories of mom and dad, and even the village. I even remember some things my mom told me clearly. I don¡¯t know if my brain is broken.¡± ¡°It might be related to you being down here for a long time¡­ it could be an overlap or loss of memory.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Lene responded, her expression showing she barely understood, then pulled out two burning sticks, nibbling on one and offering the other to Yi Chen, ¡°Big brother, do you want to try some?¡± Yi Chen was going to refuse, but he was indeed a bit hungry. And since such roasted plants no longer had the raw taste, he could barely accept it. After a short interaction and conversation, Yi Chen had determined that although the girl in front of him belonged to the patients, she was completely harmless¡­ and even possessed mature and correct worldviews, a firm stance, and independent thinking, more akin to ¡°Patient Zero¡± than the old gossiping woman. Moreover, she was distinctly different from the old woman, as the old woman lived for ¡°revenge,¡± while Lene was simply living here, without any extra thoughts, like a blank sheet of paper that had never been stained by the world. ¡°Big brother, the ¡®cure¡¯ you talked about must be about killing all the bad people above, right?¡± ¡°Exactly¡­ This village is incurably sick, and elimination is the only way.¡± Lene just nodded slightly without any change in expression. ¡°Although I really want to help you, I am very scared of going up there¡­ The very thought of the village, especially the bad people in strange clothes, makes my body extremely resistant.¡± Yi Chen suddenly lowered his voice and asked, ¡°You want to help me?¡± Lene nodded seriously, ¡°Yes¡­ as long as I don¡¯t have to go up to the village or deal with those oddly dressed folks, I¡¯m willing to help.¡± ¡°If I can lead the Village Chief down here, would you help me kill him?¡± ¡°The Village Chief¡­¡± Lene scratched her head again with her toe, ¡°As long as you can get the Village Chief down here and not bring too much else, I can indeed help you. Plus, there¡¯s a place down here that could trap someone as big as the Village Chief.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll take care of leading the Village Chief down here.¡± ¡°Okay, when will we do it?¡± ¡°Now.¡± With Jin¡¯s condition unknown, Yi Chen had no time to waste. The reason he spent time interacting with Lene also had a purpose. Because Lene displayed extremely high combat abilities and was very familiar with the underground cave beneath the village, as long as her stance and Heart were determined, an attempt at cooperation could be made. Seeking to confront the Village Chief directly in a situation with nothing at hand was too risky. Not to mention whether it was possible to recover weapons and clothing, once the village¡¯s alarm was triggered, various Butchers, Scavengers, and other special villagers would all attack together. To kill the Village Chief, every possible means and existing relationship had to be utilized, even if it meant taking on some risk. ¡°This is where I usually chop wood; it¡¯s quite far from the village, so people generally don¡¯t come here.¡± ¡°Just wait for me near the well. I¡¯ll bring the Village Chief down as quickly as I can.¡± ¡°Be careful, big brother!¡± After bidding farewell to Lene, Yi Chen decided to visit Granny Chicken once more. Since Lene had mentioned catching chickens before, it hinted that Granny Chicken¡¯s residence couldn¡¯t be too far. Wearing the Pig Head Mask again (now stitched with plants), he bypassed the patrolling villagers and hurried to Granny Chicken¡¯s dwelling. He slipped down the slide inside the tree and landed in front of Granny Chicken. Yi Chen immediately presented his detailed plan to disrupt the village and lure out the Village Chief. However, Granny Chicken just looked at him, expressing no opinion about the plan. Stroking her granddaughter¡¯s head and her now chicken-feathered blonde hair, Granny Chicken slowly opened dozens of chicken eyes on her forehead, her gaze gradually revealing disdain and even contempt. She was full of disgust for the young man wearing a pig head mask, wrapped in tattered shorts. ¡°Your actions have already failed once, what makes you think I should gamble the children¡¯s lives to assist you? A companion stronger than you has been captured, and you alone think you can kill the Village Chief? Ha! Trash should be aware of their own worthlessness.¡± Granny Chicken¡¯s scoff echoed around the chicken coop area, Perhaps she had never truly valued Yi Chen; she merely wanted to use him as a ¡®Central Axis¡¯ to adjust Jin¡¯s major combat forces for her revenge plan. The previous conversation was indeed heartfelt, but was only about her longing for her granddaughter and her hatred for the Village Chief, using these genuine feelings to mask her duplicity. Now, with Jin gone, Yi Chen, who had returned alone to the chicken coop and lost his equipment, was nothing in her eyes, no different from those human teams who had ventured into the forest seeking Death. ¡°Considering our past friendly exchanges, I¡¯m giving you one minute to leave my chicken coop¡­ otherwise, I won¡¯t hesitate to turn you into fodder for the chicks.¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen meaningfully tapped his pig-head mask and didn¡¯t respond. The shift in Granny Chicken¡¯s attitude reminded him of the type of people he despised the most¡ªthose revolting people. Suddenly, he raised the Slaughter Knife high and swung it downward¡­ Swish! Blood splattered~ This strike was not aimed at Granny Chicken, but at Yi Chen himself. The blade sliced into his right torso, tearing off a large chunk of flesh and revealing his ribs. Granny Chicken, sitting across from him, was confused about what the young man was trying to do and even suspected he had gone mad. Just then¡­ Thump! A strong and forceful heartbeat was heard by Granny Chicken. She stared with all her chicken eyes towards the self-mutilated chest of Yi Chen. Through the blood-rimmed gaps between his ribs, she saw a bizarre heart covered in black fur that was beating. ¡°What is this?¡± As she wondered, the surface of the dark heart slowly formed a mouth, and an eyeball even rolled out of its throat! Eye to eye. A potent spiritual power blasted through all of Granny Chicken¡¯s eyes, overwhelming her brain. By the time she regained her senses, Yi Chen was already standing next to the chair, one hand holding the bloody Slaughter Knife, the other clutching a chick-embryo-like tumor he had just extracted from her body. Just as Granny Chicken¡¯s attitude had changed, the young man, who had once engaged in friendly conversations with the demeanor of a gentleman, also underwent a Transformation. Morphing into a pure Butcher ready to end her life prematurely. In the moments before her death, Granny Chicken continued to stare at the black heart through the gaps in the ribs. Two black segments resembling arms were waving happily, Whilst the mouth on the heart¡¯s surface drooled, uttering the last words Granny Chicken would ever hear. ¡°I finally get to taste chicken-flavored grape skewers early¡­ I¡¯m so happy, so happy!¡± Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 106: Attacking the Chicken Chapter 107: Chapter 106: Attacking the Chicken Yi Chen had considered using the ¡°Pathogen Core¡± as a bargaining chip, hanging the chicken matriarch¡¯s head at his waist, to control the entire flock. However, considering that the chicken matriarch could establish a mental connection with the flock in secret, it was very likely that she would betray him at a critical moment¡­ Although there were corresponding restraining measures, none could completely eradicate the risk. Of course, the most important point. The chicken matriarch, a person who liked to take advantage of others¡¯ goodwill and a hypocrite, was someone Yi Chen wanted to ¡®cure¡¯ of their disease. Snap! The chicken embryo-like tumor was crushed in one squeeze. The chicken matriarch¡¯s eyes dimmed in an instant, and the small eyes on her forehead all lost their light. At the same time, Yi Chen also turned around, setting up his Slaughter Knife, ready to face the onslaught of the flock. However. As time passed bit by bit, he did not encounter the expected encirclement by the flock, nor any collective aggression. Instead, the atmosphere in the chicken pen became relaxed and cheerful, The chicks that were not allowed to leave the Nutrition Zone, as if breaking free from their constraints, all ran out, chirping incessantly around Yi Chen¡¯s feet. The broiler chickens that were lined up to be absorbed by the tree roots also stopped waiting for death, each taking flight as if obtaining freedom. The so-called chicken matriarch merely called them ¡®children¡¯ verbally, but in reality, she was like a Slave Master, and as a human, she had seen the flock as merchandise from the beginning of her chicken farming. On the contrary, it was these chickens that saw the chicken matriarch as their only dependable master. ¡°You killed the chicken matriarch, cluck cluck!¡± A black chicken fell with a slip, its chicken eyes wide. This was the black chicken Little Pei, the fastest chicken in the pen, and the one Yi Chen was most familiar with. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good? That old thing can¡¯t control you anymore.¡± Yi Chen stepped forward, crouched down, and gently stroked Little Pei¡¯s head, and the latter didn¡¯t dodge, allowing the touch. It was then, That the tree slide above continued to bring a flock of elite chickens of excellent breeds, which had served as the chicken matriarch¡¯s ¡®spies,¡¯ observing the nearby surroundings and eliminating villagers who accidentally approached. They, too, did not attack Yi Chen, but all came to the chicken matriarch¡¯s side, pecking at the dry, decayed corpse. This clearly showed that after contracting the disease and gaining self-awareness, they had long seen through the chicken matriarch¡¯s essence. ¡°Little Pei, are you not going? They seem to be enjoying it quite a lot.¡± ¡°Cluck cluck~ No need for me! The chicken matriarch liked to bully them, but she was okay to me¡­¡± ¡°Do you want this? If you do, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Yi Chen stroked the comb with one hand, while extending the slightly crushed chicken embryo tumor towards Little Pei with the other. The black chicken Little Pei, fearing Yi Chen would change his mind suddenly, pecked it into her mouth! In the following minutes, dramatic changes occurred in Little Pei¡¯s body. The black feathers on its body flared out as if exploding, and eyes formed on the skin covered by the feathers. The chickens that were pecking at the matriarch¡¯s body all turned their heads and instinctively crouched down, bending their necks as if acknowledging their new master. Seeing this scene, Yi Chen wearing the pig-head mask smiled, knowing he had bet correctly. Combination of Cognate Symptoms It is a concept mentioned in Pathology courses, referring to patients with similar epidemics who can deepen their own level of infection by devouring each other¡¯s disease core, accelerating pathogen combination, and under special circumstances, even gaining the other¡¯s power. In some Gray Domains, occasionally, one could find some large chambers filled with similar types of Severe Patients, letting them fight each other to the death, with only the sole survivor allowed to leave. However, this method of growth through mutual slaughter could severely affect the patients¡¯ self-awareness. Although it rapidly and effectively deepened the severity of the disease and accelerated reaching the core of the pathogen, it was not particularly common among sufferers. Now, As Little Pei devoured the chicken matriarch¡¯s core, its consciousness slowly connected with the flock and took over as the leader. Yi Chen placed the Slaughter Knife behind him and continued to gently stroke the comb. ¡°Little Pei, how does it feel?¡± If he found any uncontrollable abnormal reactions in the black chicken, or if the chicken matriarch¡¯s consciousness element emerged in its chicken brain, Yi Chen was prepared to kill decisively. ¡°Cluck cluck!¡± Little Pei did not respond, but instead let out a loud crow, overwhelmingly excited. Following that, he spread his wings and flew towards Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder as if he wanted to perch there to express his ¡°trust.¡± Just as he was about to land, a short black arm suddenly grew from inside the shoulder, accompanied by a feeling of being watched, which startled Xiao Pei into shifting to the other shoulder. Once his claws were stable, he deliberately cleared his throat and looked down at the flock of chickens: ¡°This is the benefactor who killed old lady Chicken and granted us our freedom! We must properly thank him, cluck cluck!¡± The crowd immediately responded with chicken calls, as if the horn of rebellion had sounded in the underground chicken nests. [Ten minutes later] Shebolt Village was invaded by a massive flock of chickens, which, being oviparous, weren¡¯t affected by the spore dust. The seemingly chaotic flock purposefully went about their invasion, pairing up in twos and rapidly entering different residents¡¯ homes, wreaking havoc on the proliferating rotten flesh colonies. Don¡¯t be fooled by their animal appearance; these elite chickens, picked out by old lady Chicken to scout and ensure the chicken nests¡¯ safety, could easily move huge stones and rip apart trees. The nimble-bodied chickens were simply overpowered against villagers who couldn¡¯t move and continuously lost their essence. Suddenly, a variety of bizarre calls erupted from different areas of the village. It sounded not like screams, but more like a form of release. And it wasn¡¯t just that¡ªthere were also loads of chickens with little combat ability. They entered the ¡°Meat Factory¡± in an orderly fashion, and, in a suicidal assault, slammed into the production line¡¯s meat grinders, contaminating the factory¡¯s meat products with their own oviparous flesh. This directly led to the factory shutting down, with all the pig-headed butchers responsible for processing the physical bodies joining the ¡®chicken-catching operation,¡¯ plunging into disarray. When such chaos spread throughout the village in a short period, a special young man slipped silently into the village and, following a map, found the village chief¡¯s house, He had a gaping wound in his left chest, wore a pig¡¯s head mask, tattered capri pants and straw sandals, and a black chicken stood on his shoulder. Peering into the house through the window, the pig-head trembled slightly. The village chief, who should have left home to suppress the unrest, sat motionless in the living room. The swollen cyst bag formerly on his shoulder was gone, and judging from the incision, it seemed to have been cut off deliberately, with the gold that had been placed inside also missing. Moreover, the village chief was engaging in a strange activity at that moment. With one hand, he held Slaughter Knife, Yi Chen¡¯s custom-made weapon created with heavy gold, cutting open his abdomen. The animate umbilical cord poked its head out, sucking nutrition from a big basin prepared by the village chief¡ªthe exquisite Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup meticulously stewed by the factory¡¯s chefs. With the nourishment, streams of new energy flowed into the village chief¡¯s body, recovering the injuries he had suffered from the explosion, and he was now almost fully healed. He was utterly at ease, with no thought of suppressing the chaos in the village. It seemed that the village was no longer important to him at the moment. ¡°Could it be? The village has provided enough Holy Embryos, so the Church no longer needs it. As a token of thanks, they¡¯ve granted the village chief the umbilical cord representing ¡®new life.¡¯ Has the conspiracy lurking behind the events already entered its latter stages, or even reached its final phase?¡± Thinking this, Yi Chen grew even more concerned about Jin¡¯s situation. His gaze immediately shifted to the black chicken on his shoulder. ¡°Xiao Pei, could you distract the village chief for a minute¡­ no, just thirty seconds will do.¡± ¡°Cluck cluck!¡± Just by catching a whiff of the severe patient¡¯s aura, Xiao Pei was already trembling with fear. However, this danger was still slightly less intimidating than that posed by Jin, who had once gripped its body. Xiao Pei nodded its chicken head up and down to agree to Yi Chen¡¯s request and called over four nearby elite chickens for assistance. ¡°I will get you the time, Mr. William! Cluck cluck!¡± ¡°Go.¡± Bang! The two windows and the front door of the village chief¡¯s house were shattered by the lifting chicken feet as Xiao Pei led his troops in a charge toward the village chief. For a time, pieces of furniture, flooring, and walls mingled with chicken feathers flew chaotically through the air. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Recycling Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Recycling When the five chickens barged into the house, the umbilical cord that was feeding seemed to be startled, immediately retracting back into the Village Chief¡¯s abdomen, also incidentally sealing the wound there. Swoosh! An axe directly split the nearest, frantically hopping White Feather Chicken in half. Despite the Village Chief¡¯s enormous physique, his speed is not slow at all. Apart from Black Chicken Pei, none of the other chickens could match the Village Chief¡¯s speed. As Jin had said, the Village Chief, as a Severe Patient, didn¡¯t have any Special Abilities; his pathologies were mainly physical, with ¡°Hardness¡±, ¡°Power¡±, and ¡°Speed¡± being exceptionally outstanding. He grabbed a chicken leg, examined the cut-open chicken, and reminisced about the stubborn old chicken-raising grandma from before the village changed. ¡°To cause trouble at such a critical moment¡­¡± The Village Chief lifted his axe, ready to completely slaughter these chickens, Because his skin was too tough, he couldn¡¯t cut his fingers while using ¡°Moon of Slaughter¡±, hence he couldn¡¯t transform, only swinging a finely made axe. As the group of chickens led the Village Chief out of the house, Yi Chen also sneaked into the bedroom and immediately found the suitcases with a forge mark. Fortunately, though the weapons had been taken, the contents of the suitcases were undisturbed. It seemed the Village Chief didn¡¯t know how to use them, so he had left them there to study later. Without a word, Yi Chen inserted a Recovery Injection into his artery, refilling his energy. He then glanced towards the large bed beside him, On it, apart from the bedding, lay Yi Chen¡¯s ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Clothes¡±, which were severely deformed, with many parts stretched and even some threads coming loose. Clearly, During the process of sending Yi Chen to the factory, the Village Chief noticed the clothes¡¯ distinctiveness and even felt the energy pulse belonging to the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡±. He took the clothes home and tried to force his way into them. The result was obvious, his large and strong physique burst through the clothes that did not belong to him, making it impossible for him to wear them. Even if the clothes had fit, The ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡±, which had undergone professional appraisal with Yi Chen, would reject the Village Chief, and forcibly wearing it could even cause irreversible damage to the body. Yi Chen¡¯s fingers traced the surface of the clothes, savoring the impeccable textural feel of the stitching. As he continued to touch, the Gentleman¡¯s Clothes, like a sleeping organism being awakened, began to move along the path of his fingers and even proactively clung to his palm. As they adhered, The stretched and even torn clothes began to restore themselves, any stains from the Village Chief also completely fell off. Once fully dressed, A sense of neural connection traveled through his body, stimulating Yi Chen¡¯s thought and invigorating him. He took off the pig head mask, giving a light kiss on the cuff, ¡°Sorry, my good companion.¡± As Yi Chen adjusted the fine details of the clothes, holding the tattered pig head mask, he put it on again, stitching it to his neck with plant roots. In one hand he held the suitcase, and with the other, he straightened his tie. The mask also emitted a faint grunting noise with each breath. If other gentlemen in Zion City saw this figure, who knows how they would react. [All set] Bang! Yi Chen purposefully smashed the bedroom¡¯s window to create a loud noise. He then quickly moved near where the Village Chief and the chickens were, observed briefly, and then sprinted full speed towards the village well. At this moment, The Village Chief had already killed all four assisting elite chickens and was chasing after the extremely fast, leading Black Chicken Pei. Several times, flying axes made Pei¡¯s feathers fly frantically, luckily it had extra eyes that could foresee the axes¡¯ path and dodge in advance. Each time, it narrowly escaped, completely unharmed. Suddenly, The Village Chief heard the sound of glass breaking from his home and immediately slowed down. He saw a figure resembling a pig-headed butcher, holding his spoils, fleeing towards the village center. The Village Chief immediately changed his target, pursuing the thief. The speed he burst forth with was also terrifying, trampling everything in his path¡ªmushrooms, animal combinations¡ªto dust, leaving huge footprints several centimeters deep in the ground. ¡°He¡¯s that fast!?¡± Yi Chen, feeling the Village Chief¡¯s aura behind him, tensed up all over, and once again accelerated towards the direction of the well. The chase between the two was uninterrupted by anyone else, the village in chaos, as everyone was busy with their own affairs. Although the distance between the two was closing, a well entrance had already appeared in sight. The village chief immediately discerned the pig-headed thief¡¯s purpose¡ªonce he jumped into the complex underground river, things would become quite troublesome¡­ He didn¡¯t want to waste time on this. Gripping the Axe, lines as hard as steel emerged on the surface of his muscles, the village chief had completely Locked onto the thief who he suspected to be a Butcher. The moment the thief made a move to jump into the well, he would throw the Axe with all his might. The power of the throw was enough to tear a human body in half, not excluding even a modified Butcher. Once in the air, dodging was impossible. Here it comes! The thief, sharply dressed in gentleman¡¯s clothes, made an obvious knee-bending motion. The village chief caught this detail, shifted his arms back, and with all the power in his body, he hurled the Hand Axe. Zhang Whiz! The moment it was thrown, it actually tore through the air with a whooshing sound, The spinning Axe in the air was too fast to see its shape clearly¡ªit sliced towards its target like a silver crescent moon. However, the pig-headed Butcher, who should have jumped, stopped in his tracks; he had merely made a knee-bending feint without actually jumping. Twisting his step and turning around, he stared straight at the rapidly approaching Axe. ¡°Can I catch it?¡± Yi Chen watched the swiftly revolving Hand Axe and the powerful menacing force it carried, even foreseeing the horrible sight of himself being split open. Yet, he didn¡¯t feel any nervousness; he even recalled the physical contests they had back in paradise. Zede teacher often played this kind of ¡®throwing game,¡¯ like suddenly disassembling his arm during a chase and slinging it as a weapon like a slingshot. Nine times out of ten, it fully penetrated Yi Chen¡¯s body. On one occasion, when Yi Chen felt the thrown object behind him, he turned around instantly and with a swing of his arm, he grabbed Zede¡¯s thrown arm. The outcome was still terrible as the grabbed arm of Zede became an independent entity, grabbed Yi Chen by the neck, and nearly broke his spine completely. But Zede was quite astonished that Yi Chen managed to catch the thrown object. In his view, Yi Chen could at best dodge at the limit. To catch such a fast-moving object at close range was almost impossible for him at his current Rank. The reason he could catch it was, aside from Yi Chen¡¯s own reflexes and Vision traits, largely due to a school-time game called ¡®Death Dodgeball¡¯ he played before he passed away. Yi Chen had never been penalized in that game. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s similar to Zede teacher¡¯s arm throwing, just with a twist¡­ I can catch it!¡± Fibers tough as plants had already covered his Arm, forming a fully encompassing Arm Armor structure. Eye, Heart, Mind, Trinity together captured the ¡®point¡¯ on the spinning Axe that could be grabbed. Force, Speed, Precision, and timing were all critical. Snap! The right Arm instantly stretched out, firmly grabbing the Axe handle amidst the arc! The moment it was gripped, Snap! A visible ripple of air exploded around the palm. The Arm Armor enveloped right Arm was forcibly pulled backward, and the plants at the palm were violently torn apart. The base of the thumb split open, the wrist joints slightly fractured, and the elbow dislocated. Even so, Yi Chen still stabilized his body, holding the Axe firmly with his drooping arm. He looked down and said softly: ¡°Welcome Back.¡± Then, with a perfect turnaround leap, he dropped down the well, and as his body completely disappeared into the well, he even managed to gesture an international sign with his free left hand towards the village chief. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 108 Full Moon Chapter 109: Chapter 108 Full Moon The wellhead seemingly moved with the gesture, but there was another purpose in mind. A thick, tenacious plant root grew from the palm of his hand, deeply embedding itself in the wall of the well, Imitating a scene in ¡°Tarzan,¡± Yi Chen swung in mid-air by the root and hurled his body toward the river bank below. His feet landed steadily without an extra motion, ¡°Come quickly!¡± a voice from a girl whispered from the shadows. ¡°Wait for me a moment.¡± Yi Chen did not rush out immediately; he needed to wait and make sure the Village Chief would follow him down. One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ Boom! The huge figure wrapped in a black trench coat suddenly fell down, the water of the three-meter-deep underground lake was blasted upwards, then fell back down like rain. The dark silhouette stood at the center of the lake bottom, staring directly at the provocateur. Clearly, the Village Chief was completely infuriated. However, this was precisely the outcome Yi Chen desired. Beneath the pig head mask, a bizarre smile appeared, followed by a swift turn and retreat, moving rapidly through the complex underground passages. All route planning was managed by the girl, Lene. Although not as fast as the Village Chief, Yi Chen managed to use some narrow passage gaps to block the Village Chief, continually increasing their distance, always hearing the sound of rock layers being shattered behind him. The Village Chief was clearly determined to catch the thief, utterly unconcerned about the state of the village above. This chase lasted for over twenty minutes. The location of everyone had completely deviated from the village, even approaching the edge of the high wall. Yi Chen followed the girl, squeezing sideways through a narrow stone gap, the Village Chief behind him let his shoulders harden, charging forward with brute force¡­ Boom! The stone gap was easily broken open, but what lay ahead was no longer a straight passage, but a deep pit area. The overzealous Village Chief fell straight into it, falling for about fifty meters¡­ Thump! He smashed heavily into the bottom of the deep pit, splashing a large amount of mud. ¡°Is this¡­ the High Wall Base?¡± The Village Chief¡¯s rage slowly subsided as he observed the surrounding thick tree roots, some of which were even thicker than his body. The live roots wriggled like giant reptiles, sucking up the nutrients from this place. And the ¡®thief¡¯ wearing the pig head mask was not far off, with a girl in white standing beside him, someone the Village Chief had never seen before. No longer hiding his identity, the ¡®thief¡¯ undid the stitching around his neck, removed the pig head mask, revealing that familiar youthful face. The Village Chief¡¯s face was full of astonishment; it had been a long time since he had been so surprised. ¡°How are you still alive! Your heart had clearly been harvested, and on the way to the factory, I had confirmed your death!¡± For a moment, the Village Chief¡¯s anger was replaced by surprise, and there was also a certain wariness. He was wary of the strange state Yi Chen had once shown, a state that exuded an aura of death, even overpowering that of the newly born umbilical. Because of this, the Village Chief did not attack the ¡®revived¡¯ young man immediately, but observed quietly, ready to harness the new power from the umbilical. Seeing that the Village Chief stayed where he was, Yi Chen calmly undid the buttons of his top, opened his shirt and waistcoat, revealing his pierced chest. ¡°Indeed, you harvested my heart, and since you, Village Chief, have a way to be reborn even when the ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ is destroyed, I naturally have ways to not die. I¡¯m curious though; the village is clearly in chaos, and yet you don¡¯t care at all, instead, you followed me, a thief, all the way here. Is it because the village is no longer of any use to you? Or does the Church no longer need the village¡¯s ¡®supplies¡¯? ¡°You¡¯re too late¡­¡± The Village Chief¡¯s simple response made Yi Chen understand the severity of the situation, then, the Village Chief stepped forward with heavy steps, attacking boldly, completely disregarding the girl beside him who was like a ghost emitting no aura. ¡®Root Piercing¡¯ Three thick roots, enhanced with the power of Casting Gloves, shot towards the Village Chief like spears. Ding ding ding! The sound of hammering echoed at the High Wall Base. The roots that struck the Village Chief¡¯s body were all deflected, beneath the pierced clothes was a flesh akin to rock and steel. ¡°As expected, very tough¡­ No wonder someone as strong as Jin, the gentleman, had to trigger multiple targeted explosions, sacrificing his weapon, to achieve ¡®Break Defense.¡¯ Such physically powered Severe Patients are truly troublesome. No wonder Little Grape insisted that I retrieve my weapon before considering combat with the Village Chief.¡± When Yi Chen retracted the roots in his palm, the giant figure of the Village Chief was already standing in front of him, nearly blocking 90% of his field of vision. Mr. Li did not possess a triple-section arm or an independent tail structure like some other mechanical beasts. As a severe patient, the Village Chief embodied pure physicality. With a heavy and swift slap coming from the side, the force of the palm wind even caused Yi Chen¡¯s clothes to flutter. ¡°Such terrifying brute strength!¡± Seizing the opportunity, Yi Chen crouched and leaped, perfectly dodging the slap, Suddenly, mid-air, Yi Chen¡¯s posture changed dramatically, his hands gripping the axe above and below. The left hand pressed down on the base sculpture, while the right hand pulled up on the axe handle, Accompanied by a series of mechanical friction noises, the handle lengthened to twice its size and the axe head transformed into a double-bladed shape, resembling a full moon. The entire assembly glowed with a pale white light, and the mouse sculpture at the base took on a prayerful pose, with a Moon Seal emerging on the forehead. ¡°Full Moon Form¡± If the Slaughter Form was an expression of Mr. Li¡¯s ¡°innate ferocity,¡± then the Full Moon Form was a perfect interpretation of the Moon Transformation Disease. As the weapon transformed, Yi Chen¡¯s aura also changed completely from before, no longer carrying any killing intent or any sense of madness and impulse. Instead, it was quiet. It was as if everything around became silent, Yi Chen¡¯s face relaxed and comfortable, his pupils reflecting the pattern of a full moon, as if enjoying the moon in midair. Suddenly, he broke this silence himself, Twisting his waist and turning his back, his arms pressed down! Drawing down the full moon diagonally towards the Village Chief¡¯s neck¡­ Clang! In the moon night, a clanging sound echoed, but the full moon failed to cut through the Village Chief¡¯s neck. The strike only left a one-centimeter mark on the neck, not even drawing blood, completely failing to break his defense. However, at the incision, a luminescent moonlight spilled out, imprinting a ¡°Moonlight Mark.¡± At the same time, Hundreds of kilometers away from Shebolt Village in a certain human city, A silver-haired young man sat on the edge of a hospital rooftop, enjoying the hazy moon through dense clouds. A female doctor next to him was monitoring the infusion state, and the head mounted on a metal rod rotated smoothly, constantly checking for possible dangers around them, Suddenly, The young man seemed to sense something and stood up, tiptoeing to gaze in a certain direction. ¡°Is it the aura of the moon¡­William? Do you really need my power to cure this disease?¡± The young man, intrigued, closed his eyes, trying to zero in on this faint sensation when¡­ Splat! A mouthful of silvery white blood sprayed out, startling the female doctor who hurriedly supported him with her long legs, Not only spitting blood, but the young man also vomited an undeveloped goat embryo from his mouth. ¡°Oh¡­ You are actually in such a diseased domain, don¡¯t die now~ William.¡± Smack! The young man crushed the fetus in his hand, showing no fear of the consequences this act might represent. He slowly raised his right arm, aiming in the direction where the sensation was coming from¡­ And he made a forceful pulling gesture. In an instant, Over the Jose Valley where Shebolt Village was located, the moon hanging above the clouds seemed to be pulled closer, even shining through the clouds with a faint moonlight. ¡­ [High Wall Base] Yi Chen¡¯s strike left only a Moon Seal and failed to break the defense. This left his body suspended in midair, in a vulnerable, undefended state, and the Village Chief naturally would not miss such an opportunity. A massive arm swung from the side, even faster than before, hitting him hard on the side. [Receiving Body] Smack! The strike visibly blasted a wave of air explosion in the air. Yi Chen¡¯s body, like a pile of loose rotten flesh, was slammed directly towards the edge of a deep pit, breaking some thick roots and sinking entirely into them. ¡°So weak¡­ Was my caution unnecessary?¡± The Village Chief did not hesitate, stepping heavily, moving towards the area where Yi Chen lay trapped among the roots. Suddenly, a series of rats¡¯ squeaking sounds echoed near his ear, and an itching sensation came from his neck. The neck previously hit by the axe blade unexpectedly started producing Moonlight Rats, which were furiously gnawing at his skin! Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 109: The Weeping Blood Moon Chapter 110: Chapter 109: The Weeping Blood Moon Even as his body was nearly embedded between the rocky layers and giant roots, Yi Chen¡¯s expression bore a strange smile. This was the first time he had used his weapon¡¯s ¡°Full Moon Form¡± against an enemy, and the sight of the Moon Seal on the Village Chief¡¯s neck meant the attack had already taken effect. He had never thought he could kill the Village Chief with a single strike¡ªit was always meant to be a battle of endurance. Being attacked in midair was also within expectations A ¡°Palm Strike¡± with a larger area of impact like the one just now was a luck-dependent option, Yi Chen could utilize muscle contraction and body rotation to perform a Receiving Body in midair. Apart from a broken rib and a slight shock to his internal organs, the situation was still relatively good. ¡°Hmm? Strange¡­ why isn¡¯t the Village Chief attacking yet?¡± According to Yi Chen¡¯s estimation, he had to move quickly, or the Village Chief¡¯s enormous boots would crush this place beneath his foot. But as he found his footing among the wall craters and saw what was happening outside, his eyes widened in shock! A lightning-fast white silhouette took advantage of the environment around the High Wall Base, switching positions by leaping off the dangling roots around, and launched rapid assaults on the Village Chief. While her claw attacks could only create sparks across the Village Chief¡¯s surface, they essentially pinned him down. Yi Chen took the opportunity to look at the Village Chief¡¯s neck, where the Moonlight faintly shone, even able to catch glimpses of the time-skipping rats scurrying across. ¡°The effect of the Moon Seal seems quite good¡­ But to Break Defense on someone as hard as the Village Chief, I¡¯ll need to carve a few more Moon Seals onto him.¡± Without any hesitation, Yi Chen immediately coordinated an attack with the girl Lene, joining forces against the Village Chief. Perhaps sensing the threat of the weapon, the Village Chief started paying more attention to Yi Chen, even choosing sometimes to ignore Lene¡¯s attacks in favor of pushing Yi Chen back. Clang! Another resonant clang of metal striking metal. The Round Moon Axe Blade cleaved the Village Chief¡¯s waist, leaving a deeper gash than the one on his neck, and the Moon Seal lit up. As the price for that attack, the Village Chief¡¯s direct kick landed squarely on Yi Chen¡¯s abdomen, revealing a terrible bulge on his back, almost puncturing through his body! Relying on instinctual Receiving Body movements and the flexibility trained into his Physique, he withstood the kick, Boom! His body, spiraling through the air, hit the boundary wall at an even faster Speed and got embedded deeper. Gulp¡ªa large mouthful of fresh blood spat out. Inside, the little grape also started cursing: ¡°Do you really have to risk so much for an effective attack? Do you realize that if that kick was a bit higher, it would have hit me here?¡± ¡°Grapes for you afterward~ I won¡¯t mess up,¡± Yi Chen responded, then bit directly into a massive root beside him, ignoring the mix of blood and meaty taste between the roots, and swallowing forcefully. Buzz! His vitality was immediately replenished. At that moment, Yi Chen cracked an exaggerated smile of excitement, entering ¡°Paradise State¡± and transforming the pain in his body into a stimulant, once again pushed off from deep in the wall and closed in rapidly on the Village Chief. Clang clang clang! Continuous clanging sounds echoed as Yi Chen took several direct hits from the Village Chief¡­ the worst of which, snap! He failed to fully dodge a Direct Punch, which landed on his left shoulder, tearing his entire arm off and sending it flying. In exchange, a total of ¡°Six Paths¡± of Moon Seals were etched across the Village Chief¡¯s body, with the Moonlight-constructed rats covering him entirely, gnawing all over. The Break Defense effect had reached its peak! The formerly impregnable muscles were riddled with tiny holes from the Moon Rats¡¯ biting, losing their previous defensive capacity. Even the Village Chief himself became weaker, his speed and strength far less than before. At that moment, a white figure flashed in, crossing her claws over the Village Chief¡¯s back¡­ The sound was no longer metallic slicing, but a real tearing of flesh¡ªthe Village Chief¡¯s back was completely ripped open, exposing the mechanical structures inside. ¡°Lene! Go for the umbilical cord hidden inside the Village Chief first!¡± Yi Chen, with his left arm severed not too far away, called out with this advice. Lene rapidly searched inside the Village Chief through the torn opening. A worm-like thing was wriggling among the intestines¡ªshe was certain that this was the ¡°umbilical cord¡±¡­ For some reason, upon seeing the umbilical cord, Lene¡¯s thoughts became extremely chaotic. Scenes she had never seen before, belonging to neither the village nor the forest, flashed through her mind. Even her Pupils started to reflect some dark surrealist paintings. Such hesitation was a taboo in battle! Smack! With a twist and swing of his arm, the Village Chief struck Lene in the abdomen. ¡°` Even as his power was weakened by the moonlight, he still managed to send Lene flying, crashing heavily into the edge¡­ The dust rose, temporarily obscuring the girl¡¯s figure. ¡°Lene!¡± Yi Chen shouted loudly, at the same time inserting a healing injection into his neck to replenish the life essence lost due to his left arm fracture. He burst into full speed immediately, charging toward the Village Chief, ready to exploit the vulnerability caused by the moonlight to execute him and sever the umbilical cord inside his body, leaving no chance for any resistance. However¡­ he was still one step too slow. Whoosh! The umbilical cord drilled out from the Village Chief¡¯s navel, just like the last time. The cord wrapped around the Village Chief¡¯s neck, forming a ¡°hanging state,¡± as a renewed power not belonging to the Village Chief coursed through his entire body. Not only were the torn openings on his back rapidly repaired, even the Moon Seal scars that Yi Chen had painstakingly branded on the surface of his skin were slowly growing new flesh, rapidly closing up, and the moon rats covering the Village Chief¡¯s body were also dispersing. The rejuvenation that came with the umbilical cord was counteracting the moonlight. Without hesitation, Yi Chen continued his charge, wielding the axe with his single arm, switching to the most aggressive ¡°Slaughter Form¡±. ¡°The chance is only in the present. If the Village Chief recovers, both Lene and I will die here! I must cut off this nearly cheating umbilical cord before his body fully recovers.¡± He leapt up, his gaze firmly locking onto the umbilical cord around the Village Chief¡¯s neck, His body bent backward in a bow shape and tensed up, storing the power between his muscles, Just at that moment, The Village Chief, who had been bowing his head, suddenly turned it sideways, glaring at Yi Chen with crimson eyes, His arms also lifted, his terrifying physical speed fully restored! The exaggeratedly large hand blocked in front of Yi Chen, with spread fingers almost covering the view¡­ The palms also regrew the structure of steel and rock layers, with hardness restored as well! The Village Chief was very confident in his physical body, He was sure he could block the impending chop and simultaneously catch Yi Chen¡¯s head and crush it! In that instant, Yi Chen¡¯s brain also completed the analysis of the current situation, deducing that he would likely die here, with no time left for lengthy last words, only managing to convey a brief message to the companion inside him. ¡°Little Grape, if I die! Remember to take my body back to the Twilight Clinic for burial; we might see each other again someday.¡± After this message was conveyed, there was no verbal response, but instead, a surge of extremely strong heartbeats came through, accompanied by an infusion of life essence throughout his body, even causing some black hair to grow on the surface of Yi Chen¡¯s arms. Simultaneously, A strand of moonlight as thick as a finger actually managed to penetrate the high wall and seep into such deep underground roots, falling precisely onto the surface of the axe blade. The Slaughter Form¡¯s axe blade immediately wrapped in a strange layer of moonlight, as if merging two forms of the weapon into one. Slice! Like a pale moon dripping with bloody tears, it arced through the air, cutting through all the hard substances in front, breaking everything, The hand covered with a mixture of rock and steel layers and the entire outstretched arm, The Village Chief¡¯s shocked face and the umbilical cord looped around his neck, The torso, muscle layers, and the organs hidden inside, Yi Chen¡¯s figure slid diagonally through the air, landing on one knee! One second after he fell, Thump! The Village Chief¡¯s half of the body also slid down, splashing up a large amount of foul mud. Perhaps it was through the joint training with the Twilight Clinic and this mission that his physical body kept growing while being damaged and fighting desperately, Perhaps his physique had transformed and further sculpted through actual combat, Perhaps it was the special life essence supplied by Little Grape that stimulated his relentlessly refined body in unprecedented ways, Or perhaps it was the exhilaration from slaughtering the Village Chief, In front of the retina, Ancient information was displayed, writhing like maggots. [Physique] increased from [3] to [4]. ¡°` Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Processing Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Processing For two and a half months. Yi Chen¡¯s physique grew once again, the changes and increases in ancient numbers were merely ways for individuals to better understand their physical states, indicating that there had been a substantial breakthrough in the physical body. Unlike the enhancements brought about by intensive training in paradise, all the activities during these two months were real combat, struggling for life against patients, being severely wounded numerous times, and executing kills at critical moments. If the improvement from the intensive training altered the nature of the physique, allowing Yi Chen to acquire the ¡°physical tolerance¡± and the adaptation and utilization of pain like Zede, officially stepping into the ranks of ¡°physical control.¡± Then this improvement corresponded more to an increase in physical skills, The current Yi Chen could adapt to combat faster, stimulate more of his physical potential during the fight, and carry out more detailed movements to deliver more deadly attacks. Underneath his clothes, his body pulsed rhythmically, muscle groups were arranging and combining in a unique pattern, utilizing energy more efficiently with each muscle group providing greater strength. Huff~ Taking a deep breath! Yi Chen did not indulge in these subtle changes in his body; there were still many issues that needed confirmation and resolution. With one hand, he gently pressed against his right chest, ¡°Little Grape! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Why are you yelling so loudly? If it weren¡¯t for the Village Chief borrowing external power, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to help¡­ and moreover, I only gave you 1/100 of my blood, it doesn¡¯t affect me at all. Stop wasting time here and quickly go pick the Village Chief¡¯s grapes!¡± Seeing such a strong response from Little Grape, there was naturally no need for concern. What needed to be done next was ¡°post-battle processing,¡± starting with picking up the left arm that the Village Chief broke with a punch, and trying to ¡°reconnect¡± it to the shoulder fracture site. Although he could not regenerate limbs, Yi Chen could still barely manage this kind of limb reconnection. Sprouts emerged from the wounds and connected the severed arm¡­ Since the joint was shattered and filled with bone fragments, the reconnection process was relatively slow. For now, he could only hang the left arm awkwardly, continuing the reconnection while checking on the Village Chief¡¯s condition. It was at that moment, Boom! A disturbance came from the side wall. The girl Lene shot back, with a broken arm but otherwise unharmed. She had a fierce expression, ready to finish off the Village Chief who was barely clinging to life. ¡°Lene, wait a minute!¡± A single word from Yi Chen stopped the girl midair, and after landing on her feet, she nodded obediently. ¡°Leave the rest to me.¡± Both of them approached the Village Chief, the Village Chief, half his body (lower limbs intact) sliced diagonally, was kneeling on the ground; from the cut in the body, one could clearly see a ¡°Steel Heart¡± embedded within, throbbing slowly and weakly. The Village Chief chose to reinforce the core, making the hardness of the heart surpass any other part of the body. Even after Jin¡¯s Red Lotus Explosion, it only cracked a little, maintaining its integrity. He was a pure physical fighter, and now, the umbilical cord was severed, interrupting the supply of the power of new birth. The heart reverted to its pre-explosion damaged state, full of cracks, and the slightest touch would shatter it completely¡­ Besides the severe physical trauma, the Village Chief was more grievously wounded in spirit. Because the umbilical cord was cut, he would never gain the recognition of the ¡°Mother of New Birth,¡± unable to contact the Church ever again, his efforts dissolving in this moment, completely losing himself. Yi Chen just looked indifferently at the evil man who had led the village to hell, making countless villagers suffer endless pain, without a shred of pity. Smack! His right hand clapped on top of the Village Chief¡¯s head. Plant roots drilled into the skull cavity along the facial features and cut-open cheek. Even so, the Village Chief still knelt on the ground, with no intention of resistance whatsoever. As the ¡°Central Tasting¡± was about to begin, perhaps it was the root tendrils moving through the brain, touching certain nerves that made the Village Chief remember something, and his previously vacant eyes gradually regained focus. However, the Village Chief¡¯s shifting gaze did not look toward Yi Chen but instead rested on the young girl beside him. He seemed to remember something but couldn¡¯t quite articulate it. Seeing the Village Chief¡¯s response, Yi Chen considered the possibility that the other might have a desperate thought, and naturally did not dare to neglect¡­ Whoosh! The root tendrils pierced deep into the brain. The Village Chief¡¯s eyes dimmed again, and Yi Chen read a large number of Memory Fragments, rapidly integrating and analyzing them in his mind. Village Chief Kaldi was born a stonemason and often helped the villagers build and even maintain their houses for free, continuing to offer selfless assistance even after becoming the Village Chief. Until one day, while helping with construction work, he accidentally fell from a roof four meters high, and while everyone was preparing to take him to the village doctor¡¯s house, the Village Chief got up as if nothing happened and went home on his own¡­ And the place where he fell had a big pit smashed into it, even the cobblestones were crushed. Back at home, the Village Chief took off his clothes. His muscular and robust body was bizarrely covered with a layer of stone. This was clearly a manifestation of ¡°Pathological,¡± and the petrification of the skin showed a tendency to spread all over the body. He dared not reveal this to his fellow villagers. In the Village Chief¡¯s mind, once the fact that he was afflicted with the disease became known to the villagers, they would immediately shed their friendly masks and drive him out of the village with pitchforks in hand. As the petrification worsened day by day, this thought took deep root in the Village Chief¡¯s mind. Until one day. A group of outsiders who called themselves the ¡°Regeneration Church¡± came to the village, and the leading Bishop spoke privately with the Village Chief, pointing out that he suffered from an illness called ¡°Stone Skin Disease.¡± But the Bishop offered a completely different perspective, in his words, illness was not a bad thing but rather a ¡°Mark,¡± a ¡°Mark¡± left by the new world to select its new inhabitants. In other words, the Village Chief was a chosen one and need not worry about being Pathological at all. This world would become Pathological sooner or later, and by then, as Patients, they would become the first inhabitants of the new world. He also hoped that the Village Chief would assist them with some matters, and if successful, the Village Chief would receive a higher promotion¡­ and the villagers would also receive the corresponding ¡°Mark,¡± welcoming the coming of the new world together. The Bishop¡¯s words were bewitching, and the Village Chief ultimately agreed to collaborate with the Church. The result was the tragedy unfolding before them. Additionally, Yi Chen gleaned some important information from the Chief¡¯s recent memories. The Village Chief had personally cut off the ¡°swollen pouch bag¡± containing gold and handed it over to a mysterious person wrapped in a black church robe, also the very same one who pierced through his own chest, crushing his heart. As Yi Chen continued to try and read memories related to the Church or to the umbilical cord, the images began to blur and became unclear, unable to capture valuable information, as if blocked by some special technique of the Church. ¡°No wonder the Village Chief¡¯s Pathological condition and the ¡®Combination Disease¡¯ manifested in the village were different, it turns out that he had contracted another type of illness, ¡®Stone Skin Disease,¡¯ prior to contact with the Church. Is it from prolonged contact with stone or an obsession with stone, leading to a mental and Physical Transformation?¡± No matter what, the Village Chief¡¯s issues had been settled. Next would be stepping into the Church to see exactly what these people wanted to do. ¡°Jin must still be alive.¡± The tasting completed, the Brain Marrow Fluid of the Severe Patient provided Yi Chen with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and left him in optimal condition. Recalling the final blow of the battle, in addition to the Essence Blood supply provided by little grape, there was also an assisting external force, though very faint, it suppressed the Village Chief¡¯s rebirth. It was a strand of Moonlight that had slipped into the underground space. Yi Chen looked towards the ceiling, covered in roots and rock layers, where the strand of Moonlight had long since disappeared. Feeling the faint luminescence lingering on the axe blade, and the waves of chill¡­ Yi Chen thought of an individual who sent shivers down his spine. ¡°Moon Scar?¡± Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 111: External Heart Chapter 112: Chapter 111: External Heart [High Wall Base] The nutrient meat soup flowing from the factory mostly gets channeled here via the underground river, forming mud ponds between deep pits, which provide essential nutrients to the tree walls, accelerating the expansion of the entire forest. Yi Chen decided to take a short rest here for some self-repair. The incident was far from over; he would face the even more terrifying and unknown Church. During the rest period, he needed to consider two things: 1. Reconnecting his left arm, which had been smashed by the Village Chief, 2. Considering the issue with the heart, Little Grape had been bearing the function of the heart, which was not only tiring for it but also resulted in the loss of a very important ¡°Visual Enhancement.¡± Unless he cut open his right chest like he did against the Nag, exposing the heart might allow him to maintain vision. Such an approach was, of course, unrealistic in actual combat, and it would greatly increase Little Grape¡¯s risk. Now, a special option lay before him, and Yi Chen, having never done this before, was somewhat indecisive. The steel heart in his hands, full of cracks, was lit by the glow of the campfire, and it felt as if a voice was whispering in Yi Chen¡¯s ear, urging him to insert this heart into the empty left side of his chest. In a sense, as long as this heart remained fresh, the Village Chief was not truly gone. Just by placing this heart into a body, under the effects of the Grey Zone, it could slowly regenerate back into the appearance of the Village Chief. ¡°Little Grape, is it possible for my body to accept this heart?¡± ¡°If you want to die, just say so. Before you die, remember to dig out the grape for me¡­¡± Little Grape could not be bothered to explain. ¡°Surely doomed?¡± ¡°Let me put it this way, the fact that you could accept a ¡®Pathological Crystal¡¯ while wandering around cemeteries is already unbelievable. Albert, in his heart, did not really think you could survive. The ¡®Burning Technology¡¯ used to refine the crystals is unique to Zion, and by controlling the fire temperature and the long duration of sealed kiln burning, most of the pathogenic material can be eliminated. Even then, the harmless crystal obtained still poses a danger to humans and needs to wait until the breaking of the Limit of Man to reduce the risk. The heart in your hands has not undergone any burning refinement, and it comes from a Severe Patient¡­ If you want to use that thing as a heart, you might as well just blow yourself up! Plus, yours truly hasn¡¯t complained about the heart issue, so why are you in such a hurry to change hearts?¡± All of a sudden, Yi Chen changed his tone, ¡°Taking on the role of the heart has been too much for you. And in the recent fight, you were nearly kicked by the Village Chief. If you, Little Grape, could be freed from the responsibility of being a heart, it would allow you to provide more help and avoid injury. Even if I died, you could escape from here. The Church headquarters we are about to go to will inevitably be even more dangerous, and I must make some changes.¡± After these concerned words were spoken, Little Grape did not respond immediately. After about ten seconds, ¡°Cough cough, my life is much more valuable! If you¡¯re not afraid of dying, then give it a try. However, don¡¯t connect your own blood vessels to this heart, but try connecting it using the ¡®Plant Disease¡¯ you have already mastered, using illness against illness. I will try to erase ¡®the consciousness of the Village Chief¡¯, Whether or not you can truly utilize this heart is up to you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yi Chen was not afraid of death, He was well aware that if he didn¡¯t make a change and continued to let Little Grape act as the heart, he would most likely die deep within the Church¡­ To uncover the ultimate secret, to find out Jin¡¯s whereabouts, sacrifices were necessary. He unfastened the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt, exposing the left side of his chest that had been pierced, and slowly placed the Village Chief¡¯s heart into the cavity, a perfect fit. Crack crack~ Vascular-like plant roots burrowed into the crevices on the surface of the heart, connecting to and trying to accept the blood produced by the heart. ¡°Come on!¡± A deep grey blood began to spread throughout the body from the chest down along the roots. With it came an agonizing pain, like steel spikes flowing through the blood vessels, piercing every area the blood passed through. Veins as tough as steel cables protruded from every part of the body, even gradually losing control over the physique, the entire body began to harden, and breathing became obstructed. When this grey blood flowed into the brain, it also brought the consciousness of the Village Chief, trying to invade the consciousness of Yi Chen. However, it wasn¡¯t dangerous. The defeated Village Chief, having lost his will and hope, brought a very weak consciousness that couldn¡¯t shake Yi Chen¡¯s dominant position. At the same time, the grape slowly opened its mouth, and on the level of consciousness, a mouth as deep as an abyss appeared, swallowing the Village Chief¡¯s residual consciousness within the Pathogen Core. ¡°Village Chief¡¯s consciousness has been erased, now it¡¯s your turn~ William.¡± As the grape¡¯s voice came through, Yi Chen started to fight against the ¡®hardened blood¡¯ that was spreading throughout his body, using physical control techniques he had learned from Zede. His thoughts returned to that half-year of agonizing special training. About the third month into the special training, there was a major accident, Yi Chen got stuck in the waist and abdomen while using a device called the ¡°Happy Roulette,¡± causing multiple internal organs to rip, leaving him at death¡¯s door. Zede moved him to the surgery room at the fastest speed, considering he might die at any moment, the only option was to forcefully replace Yi Chen¡¯s organs with those from a living corpse. Although the organs taken from living corpses were perfectly integrated by Zede¡¯s skilled medical techniques and functioned normally, Yi Chen, who was pulled back from the border of Hell, instantly felt a sense of strangeness and rejection from his body as soon as he regained consciousness and opened his eyes, clearly sensing that the organs inside him were not his own. Cold, foreign, and even bereft of life, filled with the essence of death. Every time these organs functioned, they brought about continuous intense pain and even bruises on the skin¡¯s surface. Zede, however, comforted him with a relaxed face, gently touching Yi Chen¡¯s body. ¡°Relax! Although these are ¡®their¡¯ things, you can still use them, after all, we are all classified as ¡®humans¡¯. As a human, one has to be open-minded and learn to accept new things. Consider our physique like a little miss who always has some sort of mental cleanliness obsession. But she can¡¯t always wear her own clothes, for example, if she¡¯s stripped of her clothes on the street, it¡¯s necessary to immediately snatch someone else¡¯s clothes to wear. If the little miss strongly resists wearing someone else¡¯s clothes, then as the master, we must properly train her.¡± After lying on the surgery table for half an hour, enduring the physical pain, Yi Chen, on the verge of losing consciousness, actually felt the body¡¯s rejection slowly fade away, and those organs from the living corpses were transformed into his own. ¡­ [High Wall Base] An entire hour passed by, The steel-like veins that covered the body were gradually suppressed, Unlike the situation in Zede¡¯s surgery room, Yi Chen didn¡¯t choose to ¡®wear someone else¡¯s clothes,¡¯ but rather remade someone else¡¯s clothes into his own. The Village Chief¡¯s heart had been completely absorbed by the plants, replaced by a temporary heart woven from plants. Once again, Ancient Living Text flickered in the retinal space. ¡°Forest Guardian ¨C Casimir¡¯s Tumor-like Crystal¡¯ quality upgrade form ¡®Ordinary (Variant)¡¯ to ¡®Quality (Variant)''¡± * ¡®Vascular Tissue¡¯ trait now provides a 30% increase in physique enhancement, mainly reflected in increased hardness and tenacity. * ¡®Growth Roots¡¯ trait further developed, embedded into the heart sample, can create a temporary heart (or enhance the existing heart) by employing the body-wide plant traits. Note: During the maintenance of the temporary heart, plant outward-release abilities cannot be used. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Heading to the Church Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Heading to the Church Deep within the Church. The elderly Bishop awoke from his seat, and the black-robed assistant beside him also sensed something. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected the Village Chief, who was bestowed the ¡®Newborn Umbilical Cord¡¯, to be killed¡­ He could have been one of us, a participant in the final ceremony. Wasn¡¯t the intruder in the village area completely dealt with, Theodore?¡± The black-robed assistant, with a face full of shock, said: ¡°Impossible, the ¡®Final Sacrifice¡¯ has been duly arranged, imprisoned in the ceremonial area. As for his teammate, I clearly shattered his heart, and I distinctly felt the Death Aura oozing from the corpse, which was then taken by the Village Chief to the factory for disposal. Beyond those two, no one else has transcended the high wall. Could it be some special Patients causing mischief in secret?¡± ¡°Impossible, the Village Chief who was granted the umbilical cord has the same strength as us. Those who hide and rely on Grayification to take shape are utterly unable to threaten him. There¡¯s only one possibility, the youth whose heart you ripped out is not dead. He fooled you all with some kind of feigned death tactic and then quietly eliminated the Village Chief. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he will be making his way here soon.¡± Black-robed assistant Theodore, hearing the Bishop¡¯s dissatisfaction, immediately knelt on one knee: ¡°I will now go and search for this man¡¯s whereabouts. It won¡¯t be easy to kill the Village Chief; he¡¯s bound to be in an exhausted state! I¡¯ll personally take care of him, leaving no flesh behind and burning him to ashes.¡± Just as Theodore was about to rise, he and the Bishop simultaneously felt the ¡®call¡¯ from within their bodies; their abdomens bulged out high, and the umbilical cord slightly protruded from the navel, as if conveying some message. In an instant, confusion clouded their eyes. The Bishop¡¯s withered arm gently landed on the assistant¡¯s shoulder: ¡°We have received Mother¡¯s call, the ceremony is about to begin! From now on, all church members must stay here, ensuring the ceremony proceeds flawlessly, welcoming the soon-to-be Birth of the Divine Son. If this man really intends to come, then he¡¯ll be perfect as a plaything for the Divine Son. And you¡¯ve done well already, having pinpointed such a perfect Final Sacrifice in advance, Mother is very pleased! I believe the Divine Son who descends will be delighted as well, and even bestow additional blessings upon us. Are you ready to offer yourself to Mother, Theodore?¡± ¡°At any time!¡± ¡­ [At the base of the High Wall] As the makeshift heart was formed, Grape slowly shed its heart guise, slightly popping out at the shoulder. Its gaping mouth breathed in the outside air, Yi Chen¡¯s worry was not misplaced; maintaining the heart guise for an extended period, handling all the Blood flow throughout Yi Chen¡¯s body, was indeed an exhausting task. Grape was astonished by what Yi Chen had just accomplished, ¡°This fellow actually absorbed the heart of a Severe Patient completely, transforming it into nutrients and even causing the Plant Disease to undergo qualitative growth. He is indeed the human I saw potential in. With this, the Physique improves, Pathological Traits also enhance, and indeed, one could brave the Church¡¯s depths! I hope the lad can survive.¡± Grape¡¯s ¡®Admission Degree¡¯ increased once again, and it didn¡¯t communicate with Yi Chen but instead took the rare moment of respite to promptly rest a while, quickly falling asleep with its eyes tucked in. Five minutes later, Yi Chen emerged from the special state of ¡®Plant Growth¡¯, If one must describe this state, it¡¯s as if his whole body was bound by the freshest plant vines and then placed in a sauna room for a steamy comfort. All impurities within his body were forced out with the sweat, then absorbed by the greenery wrapped around him. When exiting the sauna room, with the plants unbinding, that rejuvenated feeling was simply too refreshing. ¡°Phew!¡± The moment Yi Chen opened his eyes, he felt as light as if he could take off from the ground on the spot. Feeling the new plant life coursing through his body, along with those strong, powerful heartbeats, he couldn¡¯t help but talk to himself: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a gain; I really should thank the Village Chief.¡± With both Physique and Pathological Traits (Plant) enhanced, Yi Chen felt confident in facing the Church¡¯s final conspiracy, Without hesitation, Guided by the girl Lene, Yi Chen made his way quickly back to the exact spot below the village well. Just as Yi Chen was preparing to leave, the girl Lene gently tugged at the hem of his clothes. ¡°Big brother, you must be careful. Although the Village Chief is very powerful, I am not scared at all! But whenever I think of those church members in their bizarre outfits, my body starts shaking uncontrollably. I don¡¯t know why, but it feels very dangerous.¡± Yi Chen¡¯s right hand landed on the girl¡¯s black hair, patting it gently: ¡°Once I¡¯ve taken care of everything, I¡¯ll come to notify you with my companions. My companion can be quite fierce, so don¡¯t be frightened when you see him.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be waiting for you!¡± After saying goodbye, Yi Chen habitually tried to connect to the upper well opening with his roots, but found that he couldn¡¯t shoot them out from his palm. ¡°I almost forgot, I can¡¯t use plant-related abilities while imitating a heart. How am I going to get up there¡­¡± For a moment, the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Noticing the problem, Lene quickly squatted down and pointed at her shoulder. ¡°Big brother, step on here, and I¡¯ll help you get up.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Working together, the two of them leaped! With a slap! Yi Chen¡¯s palm firmly grasped the edge of the well, successfully leaving the underground area. The girl still maintained her waving farewell, and it wasn¡¯t until she sensed villagers approaching the well that she reluctantly returned to her dwelling. [Shebolt Village] The fight with the Village Chief had delayed him for nearly an hour and a half, and the village had completely changed, Many residents had been freed due to the invasion of chickens, numerous wooden houses were ablaze with fire, the meat factory was in complete disarray, and numerous pig-headed Butchers had taken to the streets, trying to clear out the incredibly speedy chickens, amidst which various stimulated villagers were also mixed in. Disguised with a pig-head mask, Yi Chen blended in easily, walking out of the village with ease amidst the mindless villagers, arriving at the base of the hill that led to the Church. Just as he was about to step onto the slope, rustle rustle¡ªa subtle movement came from the trees beside him, Yi Chen immediately grasped the suitcase, ready to pull out an axe to eliminate the suspicious character hiding in the woods. Before he could get a clear view, a comical voice preempted him: ¡°Don¡¯t swing, cluck! It¡¯s me¡­ Little Pei! Cluck cluck cluck!¡± Overwhelmed by Yi Chen¡¯s killing intent, the overly anxious Little Pei ended up mixing human speech with chicken language. As the chicken wings frantically flapped, it once again landed on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Cluck cluck! You really did kill the Village Chief¡­ I don¡¯t know why, maybe because I ate Grandma Chicken¡¯s embryo. I suddenly feel so happy, right now I just want to crow!¡± Little Pei couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and tilted its neck back, preparing to crow, snap! Yi Chen quickly seized its neck with one hand, preventing this action. If he made a loud noise at the base of the slope, it wouldn¡¯t only draw the attention of the Patients from the village but might also alert the Church directly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, then hold it in! The Church¡¯s stronghold is up there.¡± ¡°Cluck cluck! Got it, got it!¡± Yi Chen then gently stroked the chicken¡¯s comb. He did indeed feel grateful for this chicken. ¡°All right! Leave the rest to me~ Little Pei, take your brothers and sisters and leave this place. With your abilities, you should be able to easily slip through a tunnel leading to the outside world.¡± Little Pei did not immediately respond, its chicken head seem to be contemplating something. After a few seconds, it hopped off the shoulder, bending its neck to bow deeply, just like a human. ¡°Thank you for rescuing Little Pei from the Madman at the very beginning, thank you for giving Little Pei the stuff from Grandma Chicken, thank you for killing the Village Chief (although this is Grandma Chicken¡¯s wish, I am still very happy ¨C muttering softly). You will certainly become a very powerful person! Cluck cluck!¡± After saying these words, the black chicken Little Pei quickly disappeared into the woods, striding away on its nimble chicken legs, And soon afterward, the commotion in the village also began to subside as the chickens left, and Yi Chen began his solitary climb up the mountain road toward the Church. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Church Stronghold Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Church Stronghold Looking up along the winding mountain road, the folded mountain walls and the wildly growing trees blocked the view, preventing a direct sight of the church. Yi Chen was quickly organizing the points of doubt in the case within his mind, 1. Even after killing the Village Chief and combing through every corner of the village with the help of the chickens, including the underground river, the missing Gentleman Team was still nowhere to be found. ¡°In the memory of the Village Chief, any information related to the Church was blurred, which might also include information about the missing team. They were probably all captured and taken to the church. I hope they are still alive.¡± 2. The true purpose of the Regeneration Church remains unknown, with only a few keywords provided¡ª¡±Fertility,¡± ¡°Holy Embryo,¡± and ¡°Umbilical Cord.¡± As of now, not a single member of the church had been seen in person. Currently, standing at the entrance of the slope, Yi Chen felt as if he was standing at the ¡°Boundary.¡± The ¡®Combination Disease¡¯ that spread among the village stopped here. Neither the illusionary spores diffusing through the air nor the various bizarre animal combinations ventured beyond the foot of the mountain. ¡°I suspect that the Church has intentionally confined this native illness to the village, using it solely for the birth of the Holy Embryo. The disease itself serves no purpose for them. It could even be assumed that the fundamental reason for the New Birth Church selecting Shebolt Village was the local disease related to fertility. They want to utilize this fertility combination disease to achieve some project within the church, and maybe it¡¯s even their ultimate purpose in establishing the church. Meanwhile, the patients within the church correspond to a completely different and special illness related to new birth. They can even bestow ¡®new birth¡¯ to others through the ¡®umbilical cord¡¯ as an intermediary.¡± Once an individual uses the umbilical cord, they will likely exhibit a Hanging State similar to that of the Village Chief, where bodily injuries and even the damaged Pathogen can recover in a short period. But such a selfish group of individuals as the patients wouldn¡¯t be merely giving and sharing. Those who receive the umbilical cord and experience ¡®new birth¡¯ will inevitably have to pay some price in the end. I even suspect that even if the Village Chief hadn¡¯t been killed by me, he would still have ended up as some sort of sacrifice¡­¡± This was not just wild speculation on Yi Chen¡¯s part, Recalling the Village Chief¡¯s near-cheating regenerative ability when using the umbilical cord, even his battered Pathogen heart had healed in a short time. By the effectiveness alone, it seemed too exaggerated. And while using the umbilical cord, the Village Chief showed signs of hanging, more precisely, ¡°Umbilical Cord Around The Neck Nuchal-Cord,¡± which directly relates to neonatal death. To bestow new life through an act symbolizing death seemed highly discordant, prompting Yi Chen to speculate, Does this mean that accepting the grace of new birth also entails offering one¡¯s own life as repayment? Ending his brief contemplation, he adjusted his tie with one hand and carried his case up the hill with the other. Little Grape also became unprecedentedly serious, poking out now and then from a shoulder, half emerging from a sleeve, or peeking an eye from a trouser leg to ensure safety. However, the ascent remained eerily quiet. Not only was there no attack from any church personnel, but there wasn¡¯t even the sensation of being watched. This, coupled with the Village Chief¡¯s words that ¡®you have come too late,¡¯ made Yi Chen quicken his pace. At the top of the small hill stood the [Church] that the villagers had built for the church some months ago. To call it a church was almost a misnomer; it was more like a building of classical design. The main door, the ridge-shaped corridors, and the domed hall connecting at the end. The cold wind whipped through the sparsely leaved twisted tree trunks, the church-like structure, and the only living being on the mountaintop¡ªYi Chen. Cre-eak~ He pushed open the unlocked main door of the church, and along the spacious colonnaded corridor, whether it was the evenly spaced niches with new candles burning or the swept-clean gilded red carpet, it seemed to be telling Yi Chen that something inside was waiting for his arrival, waiting for his participation, and once he ventured further, there would be no turning back. Even so, Yi Chen¡¯s expression did not waver as he resolutely stepped in and walked towards the deepest end of the colonnade. Tap! His leather shoes left the end of the red carpet, stepping onto the cold marble floor. The echo reverberated between the halls with their massive domed structure, At the top, the dome was filled with square, concave algae wells, gradually decreasing in size as they ascended to reduce the weight of the dome and serve a decorative purpose, A circular chandelier hung from the top, lit with 108 candles that illuminated the entire rotunda. A statue of the ¡°Mother of New Birth,¡± commonly seen throughout the village, stood in the center, but this statue was several times larger than the small sculptures at the entrance of each house in the village, standing about four meters tall. The mother¡¯s face, riddled with holes, cradled a newborn baby, its face buried in the mother¡¯s bosom, invisible, With the umbilical cord still connecting the two. Engraved on the square stone plinth at the bottom of the statue was a line of text¡ª¡±Those who offer Essence Blood may receive new life.¡± Before Yi Chen even got close to the statue, he already felt the aura of new birth emanating from within it. He approached the statue cautiously, reaching out to touch the inscribed text. Whoosh! The umbilical cord that connected mother and child suddenly came to life, snapping out from the baby¡¯s navel, At the end of the umbilical cord appeared a round, toothy maw full of sharp teeth, lunging at Yi Chen¡¯s abdomen. It seemed to want to extract the so-called ¡®Essence Blood¡¯ from inside his navel. Just as it was about to get close, whoosh! A flash of silver slashed down. The axe Yi Chen always carried on his back was held in anticipation of this very moment. As he chopped down the writhing umbilical cord that was trying to slither away and then stepped on it¡­crack! When Yi Chen looked up again, He found the statue¡¯s mother and child in her arms had actually turned their heads, staring at him with faces full of holes. Although there was no mental impact, such scrutiny was quite uncomfortable. He continued to reach toward the base of the statue, vaguely feeling that something was powering the statue from below. ¡°Something underneath?¡± Yi Chen raised his foot and kicked, yet the statue remained immovable. This sense of weight and hardness indirectly proved that there might indeed be something hidden underneath the statue. He stepped back, retreating to the front end of the colonnade, near the church¡¯s main entrance. Bending over, he struck a pose similar to that of a sprinter at the start of a race, Inside, the plants covering his body concentrated upon his mobilization, covering his right shoulder and arm in response, Start! Yi Chen, with a physique upgraded to [4], accelerated beyond his past speed with the support of a temporary heart. As he charged into the rotunda, he veered to the side, his fully tensed right arm turned forward, ready to ram! Perhaps sensing the intention of its host, the gentleman¡¯s clothes adapted on their own, thickening the fabric on the right arm to increase the buffering time during the impact. Boom! A loud noise erupted in the rotunda, as the statue¡¯s base was utterly shattered, chunks of stone and blood and flesh scattered across¡­ Yi Chen was right. The interior of the sculpture was filled with highly compressed blood and flesh, connected to a flesh tube that fed it nutrients from below. A secret passage leading to the depths was revealed before his eyes. As Yi Chen stared into the depths, his thoughts were strangely drawn in, and he even felt a sensation around his neck as if it were being strangled. Hastily shaking his head, he rapidly dispersed the invasive thoughts, Subconsciously touching his own neck, he actually felt a distinct ligature mark¡­ as if he had just been freed from a hanging state. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Final Ceremony Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Final Ceremony ¡°` Wiping away the marks left on his neck from being strangled, Yi Chen carried the kerosene lamp in front of him and the suitcase in his other hand, stepping deeper into the depths. Following a stair-like secret passage, he came to a spacious underground space supported by eight stone columns, with an unusually large stone chair bearing the Fetal Body Seal not far away. ¡°Is this where new instructors are accepted? For such a crucial area to have not a single person. . .¡± Yi Chen approached the highly suspicious stone chair, and without inspecting it, he smelled a pungent scent coming from beneath the chair, quickly locating the mechanism at the back of the chair using the Visual Enhancement provided by Little Grape and turned the circular umbilical cord on the Fetal Body Seal, after making a full round. Click, click! The stone slab at the seat automatically moved aside, revealing a vertical stone path that led even deeper. The new life aura overflowing from below was more than ten times richer than that of the village chief¡¯s umbilical cord, and combined with the empty church area, it was enough to suggest that the church¡¯s ultimate secret was hidden below. ¡°Not leaving anyone outside, as well as such an obvious chair and mechanism, it¡¯s clearly leading me downward, or rather, allowing the arrival of outsiders. As the village chief said, am I too late?¡± Yi Chen had already decided whether to go deeper, but he had to confirm one more thing. ¡°Little Grape, are you sure you want to go down with me? The situation may have developed beyond control. Once the entrance is blocked, there might not even be a chance to escape, not to mention bringing my body back to Easton Cemetery. I am not qualified to directly take you down, You can choose to wait here for me, or you can leave right away. With your abilities, you should find it easy to survive in this world.¡± When Yi Chen finished speaking, a black furball squeezed out from his collar and bit directly onto his neck, leaving a bleeding tooth mark. ¡°The reason I followed you was to see the outside world. With such an interesting situation before us, of course I want to go down for a look! I¡¯m curious about what lies behind the umbilical cord, Besides~, as long as it¡¯s not ¡®Open Source,¡¯ killing this grape here is not easy. And your friend, he must still be alive¡­ It¡¯s simply impossible to kill that kind of person without bringing down several floors or shedding several layers of skin. As long as this building remains intact, it means Jin is still alive.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yi Chen smiled, smoothing the tooth mark on his neck, and leaped headfirst into the vertical passage between the chairs, descending smoothly using the friction against the walls. After dropping about fifty meters, his feet stood firmly on the ground¡­ splashing up some water. ¡°Water?¡± In the pitch-dark stone corridor, there was a clear stream flowing through the middle. ¡°Could it be that this place is connected to the Underground Lake, in a sense? However, the water that flows here is very clear and even drinkable. It must have been filtered through limestone layers and is not in direct contact with the lake.¡± He continued deeper, following the direction of the water flow. The deeper he went, the more he could feel the aura of new life rushing towards him, causing the blood and flesh of Yi Chen¡¯s exposed face and palms to twitch, wanting to split and grow new flesh. ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ immediately responded with changes, raising the collar and elongating it to wrap around his face, while Yi Chen donned gloves by himself. ¡°Are we finally there?¡± Yi Chen, like a gentleman on his way to an important meeting, held his head high and chest out, his steps firm. As he stepped out of the underground passage, the light from the kerosene lamp radiated outward, fully illuminating the scene before him, at that moment, Yi Chen, who had been mentally prepared the whole way, suddenly froze, his once-peaceful mind disturbed by the sight before him, ¡°Am I¡­ right in my guess? The two radically different elements of hanging and the umbilical cord correspond to the [price] behind the new birth. No wonder I haven¡¯t seen any church members along the way.¡± The circular underground space was the final ritual area of the New Birth Church. No less than twenty chosen instructors, including the black-robed aide who had once taken out Yi Chen¡¯s heart, all gathered here¡­ except they were all dead. Their necks were wrapped with umbilical cords, tied in exactly eight loops, hanging from the top of the rock formation. The hanged clergymen were evenly spaced, forming a circle around the center. ¡°` A fresh, clean ¡°Initial Blood,¡± free of any impurities, seeped from the instructor¡¯s neck constriction and dripped down into the water trough below, mingling with the groundwater and flowing toward the center. At the center of the ritual, lay a giant womb-like organ, the ultimate secret of the Church. It was approximately half the size of a cargo truck, its semi-translucent sac filled with ¡®amniotic fluid.¡¯ The Initial Blood from all members of the Church would partly flow into it, nourishing the ¡°Holy Embryo¡± within. From time to time, a woman¡¯s face appeared on the surface of the womb-like organ, corresponding to the ¡°Mother of New Birth¡± worshiped by the Church. She could constantly produce ¡°umbilical cords,¡± sharing new life with others. While sharing, she also planted the roots of slavery in their minds. When the time came to welcome a new life, these people would have to offer up their lives, their deaths heralding the new birth. It was also this ¡®mother¡¯ that caused the forest disease and the formation of grayification, closely approaching Open Source¡­ but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t break through and make direct contact with the ancient source of illness. At this moment, her gestation had reached the final stage, with only the last of the floating Holy Embryos inside the mother, monopolizing all the resources. The other nine Holy Embryos had already become its nourishment, and even their skulls could be seen floating within¡­ akin to culturing Gu within the womb, which is the previously mentioned ¡°Combination of Cognate Symptoms.¡± The sole Holy Embryo was growing at a visibly rapid pace, soon to descend upon this world as the Divine Son. Interestingly, it was even dressed in a white skin jacket (with clearly visible stitching), adapting to his rapid growth, enlarging along with him, the material of the jacket being the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± from the missing squad. The gestation process had reached the final phase; even if the mother¡¯s body were instantly destroyed, it would not stop. Moreover, it was impossible to rapidly kill the mother, being a Severe Patient. As the Village Chief had said, it was too late. However, Yi Chen¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t entirely on the ¡°Mother and Son¡±; instead, he looked above the organ. Naturally hanging from the top of the ritual area, a young woman¡¯s body enveloped in cyst sacs and bound by multiple umbilical cords, only her head and neck exposed. Her deep brown short hair brushed past her ears, her high-bridged nose and thin, moist, slightly red lips, a Red Lotus Mark imprinted at the bottom of her left eye, eyes tightly closed, apparently in a comatose state, her Physical quality had been recognized by the Mother of New Birth, deemed the ¡°Final Sacrifice¡±¡ªthe first delicacy for the Divine Son upon his birth. At that moment, a woman¡¯s face emerged on the surface of the womb-like organ; with eyes shedding bloody tears, she gazed at the approaching young man and spoke with a seductive voice, ¡°My child is about to be born, do you wish to join us?¡± As soon as she spoke, a Spiritual Shock instantly impacted Yi Chen¡¯s brain, as if he were being choked by an umbilical cord around the neck, the sensation of suffocation maxed out in an instant, and his brain also began to suffer from a lack of oxygen. The very next second! The Emblem engraved at the back of his head began to heat up, steaming vapor emanating from the surface of his brain, forcefully ¡®evaporating¡¯ the spiritual invasion within his mind. ¡°Little Grape! Attack her?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to use Spiritual Shock now? Against such a powerful Severe Patient, it will be effective at most once during combat¡­ Can¡¯t you catch her off guard at a critical moment, like you did with Mr. Li?¡± ¡°Use it!¡± Suddenly, Yi Chen¡¯s eyes widened, and along with the Little Grape on his shoulder, they both stared intently at their opponent, returning the spiritual gesture. Hum! The mother clearly didn¡¯t expect that the young man would also possess spiritual abilities, her gaze dulled in an instant, her consciousness muddled. And in that brief moment of the mother¡¯s astonishment, Yi Chen¡¯s figure swiftly crossed over her from above, accompanied by a flash of silver light! He cut through the inflated sacs and the binding umbilical cords, cradling the comatose woman in his arms, landing behind the mother and continuing to create a distance of over ten meters. Yi Chen gazed at the woman in his arms and calmly said, ¡°Jin¡­ you¡¯re not just at this level, are you?¡± No sooner had he spoken, the woman¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide, her mouth already brimming with excited saliva. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 115 Commitment Chapter 116: Chapter 115 Commitment The reason Jin¡¯s saliva dripped in excitement was that she sensed the powerful aura emanating from the ¡°Mother and Son.¡± She immediately leaned close to Yi Chen¡¯s chest and took a sniff, ¡°How wonderful~ I was caught here by accident. Speaking of which, there is a residual aroma of the Village Chief on you, you didn¡¯t kill that guy, did you? That must be right, truly worthy of the man who interests me.¡± With that, Jin lightly poked Yi Chen¡¯s chest with her finger. This poke was slightly forceful and slightly painful, forcing Yi Chen to move backward, allowing her to effortlessly break free from his embrace and stand on the ground. She then utilized her Professional Ability to transform the swollen sac wrapped around her into a black leather jacket suitable for combat, soft and form-fitting. At that moment, Yi Chen whispered closely to Jin¡¯s ear: ¡°Let¡¯s hold off for a moment, don¡¯t disturb her labor.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Though Jin had just woken up, her mind was completely clear, instantly adapting to the situation at hand, Her keen observational skills also naturally noticed the ¡®little action¡¯ Yi Chen carried out while saving her. ¡­ The ¡°Mother of New Birth¡± was only subjected to a spiritual influence for a bit more than one second, Though surprised that this young man could use a mental ability similar to hers, it didn¡¯t change anything, her labor had reached its final stage and could not be stopped. The face of a woman projected on the surface of the organ looked at the saved Jin, tears of blood streaming down as she laughed maniacally: ¡°Hahaha! She¡¯s merely the ¡°First Meal¡± for my child after birth, breaking free is a good thing¡­ It allows my child to freely move after birth and personally capture his food. Come out, my child! Descend upon this world in the visage of a god.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, The array inscribed in the ritual room was activated, with the ¡°Initial Blood¡± flowing in the floor grooves rising into the air, forming two net-like blood hands for ¡®delivery.¡¯ The hanged members of the Church displayed eerie smiles, witnessing this moment. As the blood hands touched the bottom of the organ, A column of gray light, symbolizing the Origin of Pathology and filled with ancient aura, rose from underground, enveloping the organ. The ¡°Holy Embryo,¡± now resembling a young man, seemed to establish a connection with some ancient entity under the shroud of the gray light, his eyes also glimmering with the same gray hue, Feeling, Watching, Acquiring, The knowledge systems of the old world, During this process, he opened his mouth wide, gulping down the ¡®amniotic fluid¡¯ his mother was feeding him, ingesting the necessary nutrients. A structure made of new flesh dubbed ¡®Frame Structure,¡¯ slowly started forming on his head, The Holy Embryo would directly enter the world in an Open Source form, This was the ultimate purpose of the Church of New Birth, creating an ¡®Open Source Patient¡¯ at the expense of the entire Shebolt Village. Once he fully emerged from the womb and stabilized in the Open Source form, he would grant true rebirth to the dead instructors, awakening them from death to continue serving him. Then, using the forest as the center, he would establish his own initial city-state. However, When the embryo had sucked in more than half of the amniotic fluid, his complexion suddenly turned pale, and he vomited uncontrollably! His body also convulsed wildly, with his blood vessels bulging out and displaying a bizarre silver-white hue. This directly disrupted his ¡®connection¡¯ with the old world. The ¡®Mother of New Birth,¡¯ his mother, also screamed frantically during this process, staring wide-eyed at the two nearby. ¡°What have you done¡­¡± Yi Chen, with an awkward expression and even twitching at the corners of his mouth, said: ¡°I am really heartbroken¡­ I didn¡¯t plan to use this thing. I would only consider it when pushed to the brink of death, facing certain doom. Because of Doctor Macaul¡¯s execution, this secret medicine is almost extinct in Zion, and I was planning to use it to break through the ¡®Limit of Man.''¡± Yi Chen held a 50ml syringe in his hand, gently shaking it; the liquid inside had been injected, with a trace of silver liquid still remaining at the tip of the needle. Even from such a distance, the ¡®mother¡¯ could still sense a near-death and despairing aura from the minuscule amount of liquid. ¡°Dusk Thin Silver Liquid¡± Before the mission, Yi Chen had visited Professor Qian Bosen, who, although he didn¡¯t say much, extracted a fixed dose of Dusk Thin Silver Liquid (a bottle) which he had stored and handed it to Yi Chen. Considering various unknown situations, Yi Chen was to inject it immediately if he faced a near-death situation, perhaps enabling him to survive. This syringe had always been hidden in the briefcase, which Yi Chen had retrieved from the Village Chief¡¯s bedroom, and he immediately confirmed the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid mixed among various healing potions. When it was confirmed that the instigator behind the events was closely related to the ¡®New Birth,¡¯ And completely at odds with it, associated with death, the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid was then included in Yi Chen¡¯s usage spectrum. Upon reaching the deep underground ritual area and confirming that the Holy Embryo ritual could not be stopped, a bold plan was rapidly formed in his mind and executed immediately. He decisively used his last resort, ¡°Spiritual Shock.¡± On the surface, Yi Chen seemed eager to rescue his teammate, but in reality, he was using the rescue as a cover. Within the effective time of the Spiritual Shock, while saving Jin, he directly extracted the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid through the portable spout on the surface of the briefcase and injected it into the mother¡¯s body, injecting a full 50ml of the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid. The whole process was swift and decisive, By the time the Mother of New Birth broke free from the effects of the Spiritual Shock and looked behind at Yi Chen, her attention was focused on the ¡®rescue,¡¯ and she didn¡¯t realize something had already been injected into the amniotic fluid. ¡­ Pain, unwillingness! When the Mother of New Birth tried to expel the silver toxin from the child¡¯s body. Swipe! The face protruding on the surface of her organs was torn off entirely. It was neither Yi Chen¡¯s nor Jin¡¯s doing; they both stood far off, watching the scene unfold. It was the young Divine Son inside her that tore off her face and chewed it in its mouth! Continuing to bite and gnaw¡­ like a fiercely hungry beast, consuming the organs that had nurtured it and the Mother of New Birth completely. [The Combination of Same Origin Illness] By devouring the mother, the Holy Embryo absorbed the pathogenic essence of the same origin, forcibly suppressing the ¡®silver liquid¡¯ inside the body, causing the silver veins spreading all over the body to gradually fade. However, It could no longer reconnect with the ancient Origin, and the Open Source failed! Because of the toxicity of the Dusk Thin Silver Liquid, Because of the mental pain of the mother¡¯s death, And the frustration of not achieving Open Source, All these emotions merged together, distorting the visage of the young Divine Son who had finished feeding, wailing in pain! The miserable cries shook the underground area, Even the villagers in the forest and the gentlemen at the Black Eye outpost could faintly hear the baby¡¯s cries. During the crying, The umbilical cords wrapped around the teacher¡¯s neck gathered together, They aligned neatly and successively penetrated the Divine Son¡¯s back, weaving into large, squirming, and eerie living wings! As for the Divine Son¡¯s own umbilical cord, after detaching from the belly button, it wrapped around his right arm, turning into a segment of a living whip. Yi Chen and Jin, standing not too far away, also blocked their ears to avoid bursting their eardrums. Jin said excitedly with a full face: ¡°Wow! So powerful¡­ infinitely close to Open Source, even someone who has witnessed scenes from the old world? His body is the weapon material I¡¯ve dreamt of.¡± The crying ended, The wings flapped, The pale body of the young Divine Son, like a living corpse, rose from the ground with the help of the wings, hanging in the air! The umbilical cord-woven wings also fully spread out, resembling a true Divine Son. The momentum grew once more, Seeing this scene, Jin suddenly tilted his head, giving the man who saved him a strange look, His hands slid up Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders, upward from the neck, caressing his cheek. ¡°William~ The situation we discussed earlier has occurred! A desperate situation, and I don¡¯t have any flesh or weapons for the intense battle that¡¯s about to happen. According to our agreement, give me your head!¡± I will definitely turn it into a high-grade bomb and stuff it inside the opponent to explode, breaking us out of this predicament.¡± As he spoke, Jin had already begun slowly twisting Yi Chen¡¯s head. Yi Chen did not resist but instead tilted his head in the direction of the twisting, looking towards Jin at his side, ¡°Hmm! Take it!¡± Crack! Amidst the sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing, something was twisted off. With his face splattered with blood, Jin emitted an extremely gentle smile, continuing to caress Yi Chen¡¯s face. ¡°Such an interesting man as you, how could I bear to kill you¡­ Besides, this isn¡¯t really a dead-end situation! It¡¯s just a more troublesome scenario. Borrow your arm for now, and I¡¯ll try to return it later! I hope I don¡¯t break it.¡± What was twisted off Yi Chen wasn¡¯t his head, but his entire left arm. Jin held the left arm and swung it in the air in a handshake gesture, satisfied with the quality of the arm. She then leaned in close and whispered: ¡°By the way! Do you have a mask? I don¡¯t really like showing my face directly, always feels unlucky to let the dead see my face.¡± The unbothered Yi Chen, whose arm had been torn off, opened the briefcase and took out a patched pig-head mask that had accompanied him for a while. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your suit and mask along the way¡­ Would this work?¡± ¡°It would do!¡± Jin quickly put on the mask, and when the mask¡¯s end touched the skin on the neck, it immediately fused together. Pig-head, leather jacket, and holding the severed hand weapon, Jin was ready to fight. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 116 No Weakness Chapter 117: Chapter 116 No Weakness Yi Chen had anticipated earlier that Jin probably wouldn¡¯t go through with it, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to switch the option from ¡°head¡± to ¡°arm.¡± Although completely indifferent to the pain of his arm being torn off, even using the pain to stimulate his body and quickly warm up, this left arm had been broken by the village chief not long ago and had only just been reattached before Jin dismantled it again¡­ Yi Chen always felt this old fellow was somewhat pitiable. His gaze shifted toward the center of the cave, to the Holy Embryo, which floated in the air with umbilical cord wings. Between the retinas, ancient texts woven by maggots slowly emerged. ¡°Distorted Holy Embryo ¨C Marcos (Open Source obstructed, glimpsed some ancient knowledge)¡± ¡°Although its Open Source is obstructed, this fellow still had brief contact with ancient things and must have gained something. Plus, having absorbed so much essence blood from so many instructors, its strength must certainly surpass that of a Severe Patient. Little Grape¡­ can you?¡± Just as Yi Chen tentatively asked, Little Grape immediately guessed what he intended to do. ¡°I have said before, the last confrontation with Mr. Li was unique and special, I absolutely will not provide combat support.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yi Chen could only seal his arm¡¯s stump with plants and prepared to fight with an axe in his other hand. At that moment, a squelching sound of flesh and bone came from beside him. The left arm in Jin¡¯s hand had been modified into the shape of a long blade. 1. The handle hadn¡¯t been much altered, still resembling the left palm, maintaining a handshake with her. 2. The blade, created from the compression of flesh and bones and embedded with nerves, was sharp and suitable for bleeding. When Jin tightened her grip on the palm-structured handle, the blade would also contract and store power, suitable for explosive slashes. ¡°Your body really is unlike any other, this ¡®constriction sensation¡¯ is something I¡¯ve never seen before¡­ Every piece of your muscle, every bone seems to have undergone intense shattering and reconstitution, I really want to dig out some more flesh from you. Never mind~ This is enough.¡± Jin stared at the target in front of her, saliva continuously leaking from the corner of her mouth, ¡°I¡¯ve never met such an interesting opponent, William, we¡¯re going in, don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± At that moment, the Holy Embryo Marcos floating in the air vomited. It expelled a skull that, for some reason, it couldn¡¯t digest, one large and nine small, all stuck together with new flesh. The large skull came from the Mother of New Birth, while the other nine smaller skulls were culled Holy Embryos that had not survived the ¡®nurturing of the Gu¡¯ and were stuck together to form a ¡®Skull Ball¡¯ As the Skull Ball crashed heavily to the ground, each skull seemed to emit a faint cry. At that moment, the umbilical cord wrapped around the arm shot out, connecting with the Skull Ball to form a whole. The next second, Holy Embryo Marcos turned its eyes to the two of them, swinging its right arm! With the extension of the umbilical cord, the Skull Ball was thrown at the duo standing ten meters away. Bang! A loud sound, The ground was pockmarked with large pits, which even bore horrific human faces. Although Yi Chen and Jin dodged instantaneously, they noticed that the Skull Ball was quite bizarre¡­ As it neared, their own flesh somewhat lost control, with resonating ripples forming on the surface of their skin. ¡°Jin! Dodge as much as possible, don¡¯t take it head-on!¡± As Yi Chen issued the warning, Jin, who had side-stepped away, had already landed on tiptoe, creating a ripple in the air with her movement, charging directly at the Holy Embryo. Yi Chen immediately followed Jin¡¯s rhythm, but he chose to circle a larger Outer Ring, attempting to lower his presence and flank the Holy Embryo from the other side. Yah! The Holy Embryo let out a weird scream, pulling its right arm and immediately retracting the thrown Skull Ball. With its eyes locked on Jin rushing directly towards it, it prepared to smash her skull. Just as the two were about to come into close contact, and the Holy Embryo was about to smash down with the Skull Ball in its hand, a rather subtle chain explosion occurred around Jin¡¯s ankle. This explosion, while not damaging the bones, generated a spiral force, causing her ankle and foot to twist rapidly. Bang! The Skull Ball smashed down, leaving just another human-faced pit. Where Jin had been standing directly in front, she suddenly appeared on the left side of the Holy Embryo. Such quick and adept movement, in Zion, only Jin among her peers could achieve this. Additionally, The Arm Blade in Jin¡¯s hand was now wrapped with strands of red thread, sketching out a bizarrely vibrant Red Lotus on the blade¡¯s surface, giving off a sense that it could explode at any moment. The reason Jin had to take Yi Chen¡¯s arm was precisely because she needed a piece of high-quality flesh capable of withstanding the ¡°Red Lotus.¡± Yi Chen, having undergone special training and perfectly inheriting Zede¡¯s mantle, was clearly the best choice for his physical condition. ¡°Wow! William, your body is amazing! It can withstand such a high concentration of Red Lotus! Let me try the slashing power.¡± There was no hesitation. The moment Jin completed the instantaneous movement, she utilized the twisting force generated. Twisting her waist and turning her back, she delivered a double-handed downward slash! Whoosh! The sound of bones and flesh being rapidly sliced rang out without any resistance. The body of the Holy Embryo was split into two, Moreover, the parts of the flesh sliced by the blade were all tinged with threads symbolizing the Red Lotus. Strands of red threads burrowed into the body along the cut, growing Red Lotus flowers of various sizes on the surfaces of bones, organs, and even some blood vessels. Sheathing the blade. Jin retracted her blade with an extremely elegant motion¡­ Boom! A strong red explosion occurred along with a miniature mushroom cloud, Since Jin did not have the protection of gentleman¡¯s clothes, she was also blown away. The power of the explosion was enough to shake the steel heart within the Village Chief¡¯s body. Holy Embryo Marcos was naturally blasted to pieces, the largest chunk of flesh no bigger than a finger. But¡­ These bits of flesh instantly started converging towards a certain location as soon as they hit the ground. Jin noticed this convergence and couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°What terrifying regenerative power is this?¡± Spitting out the blood foam in her mouth, Jin, propelled by her feet, charged forward again! She was ready to perform a second ¡°Blast Slash¡± on the converging blood and flesh, aiming to blast the pieces even more thoroughly. Just as she was nearing, the skull structure of the Holy Embryo was already reconstructed. Wah!!! A heart-wrenching cry emitted from its mouth, Jin, being the closest, instantly had blood streaming from all facial orifices and her body stiffened! Though she regained her senses within one second, the upper body of the Holy Embryo had already reformed, and it slammed a heavy blow into Jin¡¯s abdomen. Crack! The abdomen, struck by the Skull Ball, instantly became a bloodied blur adorned with a human face, The massive impact carried her crashing into the edge of the wall, creating a half-meter deep crater. Puh! A large mouthful of fresh blood spurted out from between the pig-head mask, the corner of her mouth twitching, ¡°Truly terrifying, worthy of a Patient who has experienced the old illnesses! I need to step it up.¡± Jin opened her right hand and shoved a lump of flesh into her mouth, swallowing it directly without chewing. Professional Characteristics ¡°Physical Affinity (Passive)¡± The bloodied mess at the abdomen instantly sprouted new flesh, even the internal organs were rapidly repairing. ¡°Wow! This effect is several times better than my refined ¡®Compressed Meat Cubes,¡¯ I¡¯ve got to have your body!¡± The flesh that Jin had just swallowed was exactly the Holy Embryo¡¯s flesh splattered onto her during the explosion, though not much, Jin intentionally collected it¡­ unexpectedly, the effects were so good. Without pausing, Jin climbed out of the dented wall and continued to charge towards the Holy Embryo like a mad dog. Meanwhile, Yi Chen, who had initially planned to approach from the side, halted due to the violent explosion. Just like when dealing with Mr. Li, Yi Chen once again observed seriously from the ¡®Audience¡¯ perspective, Observing each piece of flesh¡¯s movement and convergence, observing the regeneration process, trying to locate the ¡°Pathogen Core.¡± However, By the time the Holy Embryo had reformed, Yi Chen still hadn¡¯t observed anything, his expression tight, ¡°How is this possible¡­ Why isn¡¯t there a single suspected ¡®Pathogen Core¡¯ site? He hasn¡¯t reached Open Source yet.¡± The voice of Little Grape came over: ¡°His original Open Source process was interrupted by you, demoted to a Patient, and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a case. Perhaps this Patient cannot be judged by conventional concepts. Maybe he never had a Pathogen Core from the start; the only way is to kill him over and over, exhausting his vitality until he can no longer converge. Or use a special illness that surpasses ¡®Newborn Illness¡¯ to try and suppress him.¡± ¡°An illness that surpasses newborn illness¡­¡± Yi Chen immediately thought of an answer. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 117: Moonlight in the Darkness Chapter 118: Chapter 117: Moonlight in the Darkness [Disease Type] Since the Disease Era began, countless illnesses have spread throughout the world. After the establishment of the G&D Organization, it has been collecting information on various illnesses in the fight against pathologization, archiving them at the Hippocrates Hospital-Pathogen Center. The categories of illnesses increase every year, meaning that new and unusual illnesses could emerge at any time. Gentlemen need and must categorize these illnesses to understand the type of infection in patients ahead of time, which can effectively improve the efficiency of disease removal. The threat level of patients with different types of illnesses can vary greatly. Some individuals infected with rare diseases can even unexpectedly kill a gentleman. Such diseases are inherently superior to ordinary illnesses and, if they infect a creature along with ordinary diseases, can even suppress or eliminate other diseases, thus possessing uniqueness. ¡­ [Underground Ritual Area] When Yi Chen thought of this answer, Little Grape also came to the same conclusion, especially since not long ago they had teamed up using ¡°moonlight¡± to kill the indestructible Village Chief. Indisputably, the [Moon Transformation Disease] accidentally created by the Twilight Clinic ranks at the forefront amongst disease categories, being an extremely rare and entirely new disease. But there was a problem. To switch to the weapon¡¯s ¡°Full Moon Form¡± required the use of both hands, yet Yi Chen¡¯s left hand was missing. ¡ºLittle Grape, you understand what I mean, right?¡» ¡ºI¡¯ve already said it before, there¡¯s no room for negotiation on this matter. Moreover, the help from the Twilight Clinic that time was just confined to the structure of the hand¡­You¡¯ll need to think of another method.¡» ¡ºAlright.¡» Yi Chen did not press further, since Little Grape had already been a great help during the event, providing visual support was sufficient. One hand was enough! Hu~ He settled his momentum, lowering his body. In rhythm, he, together with Jin, pressed toward the Holy Embryo life. Along the way, Yi Chen held the bottom end of the axe handle with his remaining right hand, Using his [mouth] as a second hand, he bit onto the top end of the handle, And jerked his head upward! Click-click~ The handle slid, the metal friction causing sparks to fly. With the assistance of his mouth, he successfully switched to ¡°Full Moon Form¡±. ¡ºThe length of the handle has increased, it¡¯s somewhat strenuous to swing with just one hand¡­ Fortunately, my physique had increased when fighting the Village Chief, otherwise the effect of my swings would be greatly reduced.¡» Yi Chen and Jin almost simultaneously approached the left and right sides of the Holy Embryo. The two also exchanged glances for an instantaneous communication. Hand Axe and Arm Blade, slashing the target at different angles. However¡­ Whoosh! The wings of Holy Embryo Marcos fluttered in coordination with a light tip-toe step, He performed a superfast backward flash, even leaving behind an afterimage at his original location, causing both attacks to miss entirely. This kind of flash was very similar to the ¡®Instantaneous Turn¡¯ Jin had used through her ankle just earlier, Not only that, As Marcos completed the flash move, he swung his right arm in succession¡­ the umbilical cord dragging the heavy Skull Ball, sweeping in front of both of them. Jin, relying on her high maneuverability, jumped back to dodge, Yi Chen, foreseeing the trajectory of the attack, dodged in advance, similarly avoiding the sweep. ¡°Jin¡­ this guy has just come into the world, is rapidly adapting to the battle in front of him, and can even quickly learn the combat skills we use. We can¡¯t prolong this fight, otherwise, he will become increasingly stronger.¡± This statement inadvertently stirred Jin¡¯s emotions. ¡°Want to keep up with my speed, want to learn my physical skills? With your kind of defective product?¡± In that instant, Red lines surfaced across Jin¡¯s body, Crackle and pop~ one could even hear faint explosions emanating from inside Jin¡¯s body several meters away, She adjusted the effect of the ¡®Body Explosion¡¯ to 150% of the rated index, the so-called rated index being the level that wouldn¡¯t harm her own physical body. The current 150% would rapidly damage various areas of the body, not suitable for prolonged combat. A step was taken, snap! The ground was stamped into a deep pit full of gravel. The speed that burst out in an instant was so fast that even Yi Chen could hardly see clearly. During the run, Jin¡¯s joints all over her body were slightly oozing blood, dragging a red afterimage behind her. Neither could the Holy Embryo clearly see the speed of this pig-headed woman, just as he was about to release ¡°Pain Wail,¡± emitting a ¡°Spiritual Shock¡± inherited from the mother to stop Jin from approaching. Swish! The blade had already plunged into the mouth and then stabbed out from the back of the head, forcibly interrupting. Underneath the pig-head mask, a pair of bloodshot eyes stared dead at the Holy Embryo, speaking in an extremely disdainful tone, ¡°Learn quickly! Can you learn it?¡± With those words, her wrist twisted, rotating the blade inside the Holy Embryo¡¯s mouth for a full circle! Then she forcefully pulled downward¡­ swish! Once again, she split the flesh and triggered an explosion. Jin, also blown away by the blast, quickly landed and picked up the nearby pieces of flesh, chewing and swallowing them. This was where Jin was strongest, as long as her opponent was a creature of blood and flesh, she could keep building her advantage like a rolling snowball. ¡°This meat isn¡¯t as fresh as it was at the beginning, and the effects aren¡¯t as good¡­ Killing you another ten or twenty times should probably be enough to kill you, right?¡± This time, Jin didn¡¯t immediately advance, the ¡°Body Explosion¡± that exceeded the set limit caused damage to multiple organs and bones; she needed a slight reprieve. On the other hand, Yi Chen, although once again shocked by the terrifying strength displayed by Jin, also acted immediately. Stepping on the ground flesh, he rushed towards the regeneration spot of the Holy Embryo. ¡°With my ¡®Intelligence¡¯ and special brain, I should be able to withstand this guy¡¯s ¡®wail¡¯; I must not miss such an opportunity to attack.¡± As Yi Chen approached, the Holy Embryo had quickly reassembled its entire head and part of the upper body, Wah! The cry of Pain Wail was released from the mouth, and with prior preparation, Yi Chen widened his eyes, activating his brain! Hiss hiss hiss~ steam burst from the top of his head, even though blood flowed from his seven orifices, Yi Chen¡¯s eyes still retained a steadfast expression. His pace only slightly slowed, but did not stop. Black shoes stepped into the effective attack range, Moon of Slaughter was already raised, aimed at the head of the Holy Embryo. Swish! The Holy Embryo actually spat out an umbilical cord from its mouth, quickly entangling Yi Chen¡¯s right arm. Soft yet forceful, and this bizarre newborn umbilical cord on contact with the arm even tried to take control of it, quickly bonding with the flesh on the arm¡¯s surface, joining at the nerves. It halted the attack, also posing a great threat to Yi Chen. A brief stalemate allowed the Holy Embryo to continue regenerating; its upper body was almost constructed, his arms about to form, about to pierce through Yi Chen¡¯s body. In a critical moment, a voice resonated in his consciousness. ¡°Let go!¡± Hearing the voice, Yi Chen¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, seemingly deliberately falling into danger, waiting for this moment of transmission. He decisively released his grip on the axe in his right hand. As Moon of Slaughter slipped from his hand and was about to hit the ground, Swish! A shadow flashed, catching the axe handle in mid-air! Without giving the Holy Embryo a chance to react, a silver brilliance fell! The axe blade, overflowing with moonlight, had already chopped the Holy Embryo¡¯s head and upper body, and left in his body an indelible Moon Seal, spawning a large number of Moonlight Rats that gnawed at the flesh and hindered regeneration. On the other hand, Yi Chen, at this moment, his previously missing left arm regrew, but this arm was not entirely his own, covered with black fur that writhed in the wind, and in between the arm, a mouth opened, exposing a bizarre eyeball. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 118: Conclusion Chapter 119: Chapter 118: Conclusion With little grape¡¯s assistance, he successfully cleaved the target with the ¡°Moon of Slaughter,¡± branding the Moon Seal inside the Holy Embryo¡¯s body. This Holy Embryo, Marcos, who had just descended into the world, felt a real threat to his life for the first time, far more intense than the previous Red Lotus Explosions. Apart from the rat swarm eroding and tearing at the new flesh, there was also oppression from the disease root level, making the Moon Seal branded on the surface of the new flesh very uncomfortable, carrying even a faint sense of being invaded. He wanted to live; he did not want to die! A strong will to survive ignited the nascent potentials within the Holy Embryo, Whoosh! The regeneration speed doubled, identifying the farthest piece of flesh from Yi Chen and Jin as the ¡°Regeneration Center¡±¡­ Within one second, all flesh converged towards that point, forming a floating ball of blood. At the cost of burning Essence Blood, he forcibly neutralized the Moon Seal branded on the soul¡¯s surface, and the rat swarm consuming the new flesh also vanished. Almost within one second, regeneration was complete¡­ Crack! The blood ball burst, unveiling a brand new body. Holy Embryo Marcos descended again in a form better suited for the battle at hand, 1. Originally grown on his back to form wings, the umbilical cords all gathered towards his left hand, compressed into high density and wound into a shield called ¡°Umbilical Great Shield¡±. 2. The right arm connected to the Skull Ball via the umbilical cord, reduced its attack range to within two meters, avoiding long-range attacks. 3. His ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± was transformed by the new flesh, reinforced and layered with thick fat, converted into a set of minced meat armor. Like a heavily armored knight with a shield, he leaned more towards melee combat and defense. The changes inside the Ritual Cave were not limited to Marcos. Yi Chen changed as well, he was already immersed in the slaughter, even little grape itself started harboring killing intent, His collar stood up, his bloodshot eyes glaring fixedly at the opponent, He leaned forward, his arms hanging low and slanted holding the axe (predominantly with black-haired arms), like a bloodthirsty beast under the moon night, ready to charge at the target at any moment, At that moment, the recovered Jin stepped beside Yi Chen, one hand on his shoulder, both looking towards the Holy Embryo, ¡°William, it¡¯s really hard to kill someone who has seen the old world sights¡­ Your past attack seemed more effective than mine~ let me create an opportunity for you to strike the killing blow?¡± Yi Chen squeezed out a word filled with killing intent through his teeth, ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Jin once again unleashed 150% of his Body Explosion, rushing towards the target as a red light, a speed that surpassed ¡®Limit of Man,¡¯ comparable to a High-Rank Gentleman. But¡­ Click! A crisp sound of bones and flesh jamming. Jin, taking a shortcut from a blind spot, made a cut that was perfectly blocked by Holy Embryo Marcos with a swift reaction and turn, moving his left arm¡¯s huge shield. The long sword that could easily tear through targets (William¡¯s limited edition) couldn¡¯t even break through the large shield. It became completely lodged halfway through, even trapped tightly in the umbilical cords between the shield, hard to pull out. Hum! At the same time, Marcos swung the Skull Ball with his right arm, smashing it down. ¡°Red Lotus. Explosion¡± He forcibly detonated the blade embedded in the shield. Boom! The moderately powerful explosion freed the long sword, and Jin, too, used the blast to move back several meters¡­ the spot where she had stood was completely shattered by the heavy hammer, leaving several agonized faces imprinted on the ground. Jin did not pause, lunging back into the dust. Click, click, click~ Continuous collisions of bone and flesh, Jin employed high maneuverability, launching tricky and swift slashes, but either the blade chopped at the large shield or was parried by the Skull Ball. Though shadow flickered within the dust, Jin appeared to be dominating, her attacks became increasingly difficult to harm! The most terrifying part was, Marcos had begun to adapt to such speed, even the explosions, and human language as well. Boom! Unable to cut through the shield, Jin used another explosion to disengage, significantly weaker than the previous ones, indicating that the ¡®Red Lotus Energy¡¯ inside her had fallen below 30%, with no fresh meat to replenish her energy. Standing amidst the dust, Marcos, undisturbed by the explosion, vomited human words from his malformed mouth: ¡°Getting¡­ weaker? I have already¡­ adapted.¡± His words seemed to provoke Jin. Through the dust, a black silhouette charged again. The distinct outline of a pig¡¯s head and a similar figure confirmed it was the same madwoman as before. The adaptation in combat and thought enabled Holy Embryo Marcos to instinctively parry, and this time he planned to take down the somewhat exhausted Jin. ¡°Come on¡­ human.¡± From beyond the dust, a shadow slashed with light, and Marcos parried with the shield in the same way. Whoosh! The slash was as expected, still unable to break through the giant shield, cutting only 1/3 of the way through. But, there was no invasion of red silk threads at the cut, nor any blooming of Red Lotus, Buzz! Instead, a clear Moon Seal was branded on the surface of the shield, and a large number of rats began to gnaw at the umbilical tissues that made up the shield, reducing and damaging its defensive capabilities. Even Marcos himself hadn¡¯t realized what had happened until he saw that the weapon in front of him was not an arm blade, but an axe radiating soft moonlight. The shadow behind the dust was no longer Jin, but Yi Chen, almost the same size and height, who had quickly donned a pig head mask during the explosion and dust. From beneath the pig head, a human voice emerged, ¡°Your adaptability tends to cause misjudgments¡­ Such childish tricks couldn¡¯t be more fitting for a child like you.¡± Holy Embryo Marcos¡¯s face contorted as he immediately swung the skull ball with his right arm, Whoosh! A faster streak of red light flashed from his side, Jin, revealing her face and with a Red Lotus under her left eye, swiftly cut off his right arm, sending the skull ball flying along with the arm. ¡°You¡­ ¡± Marcos still wanted to say something when he suddenly saw a pitch-black object coming right at him! Smack! It wasn¡¯t a weapon, but a black-haired hand whose fingers spread wide and gripped his face. Before Marcos could react, the hand on his face writhed, opened its mouth, and spat out eyes! Point-blank Spiritual Shock! Although Marcos had inherited certain mental traits from his mother, he was still affected. By the time he quickly regained consciousness, his body was already pinned to the ground! Sitting on him was Yi Chen, neatly dressed in a suit, wearing a pig head mask¡­ Through the eye holes of the mask, a pair of fierce, ghostly eyes were visible. [Superfast Regeneration] Marcos tried to quickly regenerate his arm to push Yi Chen off him. The raised Moonlight Axe Blade had already fallen! Crack¡ªskull split! Splitting the skull and leaving a Moon Seal between the brains¡­ As Holy Embryo sensed the threat to his life and the intense pain in his brain, his body began to struggle wildly, umbilical cords popping out all over. However, before these umbilical cords could reach Yi Chen, Crack! Another axe fell! With each slash, a Moon Seal, Each Seal brought forth a large horde of rats that sought to destroy the reborn flesh and suppress the emerging illness, At that moment, Yi Chen seemed both like a frenzied butcher and a conscientious main surgeon, persistently performing forced surgery on a patient with a terminal disease. Gradually, the Holy Embryo beneath him stopped struggling, all the writhing umbilical cords drooped, leaving only the sounds of the axe striking and the rats chattering in the ritual cavern. Even Yi Chen didn¡¯t know how many times he had raised his hand nor whether the ¡®patient¡¯ had been ¡®cured¡¯ yet. Just as he instinctively raised his arm again, Smack! A soft, delicate hand reached out horizontally and grabbed his wrist, stopping his action. ¡°William, do you want to go plant trees in Cesimani? This guy¡¯s body is still of use to me, so don¡¯t wreck it too badly.¡± Following Jin¡¯s reminder, Yi Chen gradually came to his senses amidst the slaughter, stood up, and looked at the ¡®inner beauty¡¯ he had revealed on the ground, then stepped back to the edge of the ritual area, breathing heavily. Leaving Jin alone to clean up the battlefield, she took off her black leather jacket, reverting it back to the ¡®swollen sack¡¯ form and collected the remnants of the Holy Embryo inside, carrying it on her shoulder like the Village Chief. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 119: Rescue Chicken Squad Chapter 120: Chapter 119: Rescue Chicken Squad Perhaps, compared to Viner City, which was directly obliterated by the Moon Scar, the sights in Shebolt Village were several times, if not tens of times, more deplorable. Perhaps it was the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± worn by Holy Embryo Marcos that indirectly indicated the missing gentlemen had all perished. Had Jin not been chosen as the Final Sacrifice, he might have become one of them. Perhaps it was the instinct of a gentleman wanting to eradicate such a pitiful life born from pathogens. At the final moment, Yi Chen was immersed in the killing frenzy, lost in confusion until Jin¡¯s reminder brought him back to himself. Leaning against the wall, Yi Chen did not feel there was anything wrong with his slaughter. Just like teacher Zede had said, the scattered pieces of flesh on the ground could create an abstract painting, displaying the inner beauty of the individual. Only the feeling of being controlled by the desire to kill was very uncomfortable, and Yi Chen fully understood why Cesimani had set up the orchard and why students immersed in the killing were forced to spend so much time planting trees; without control over their killing instincts, they would surely descend into depravity. ¡°William, that was really dangerous just now¡­ I was thinking about reminding you,¡± came the voice of Little Grape. ¡°I¡¯ll try to avoid it in the future.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t avoid this thing because, after all, to live in such a world, killing is necessary. After going back, learn thoroughly from Zede what killing is and try to coexist peacefully with ¡®it¡¯. I¡¯m exhausted; I need a good rest.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Little Grape!¡± Little Grape itself was quite satisfied. Before Yi Chen had become immersed in the killing, it quickly took control of his left arm to pluck out the eyes of the Holy Embryo, the taste of this newborn grape was like the first grape from a high-end orchard, fresh and juicy¡­ not only replenishing the energy spent but also awakening its [Essence] to a certain degree. A whiff of the old world¡¯s aura contained in the eyeball was transformed and absorbed by Little Grape. Just like absorbing the Lake Bottom Giant Eye before, such relics of the old world could awaken Little Grape¡¯s essence, stimulating some brand-new abilities. As it fell into a deep sleep, new tendrils of flesh writhed from its mouth. ¡­ Yi Chen continued to lean against the wall in self-reflection, when, pat-pat~ the sound of damp footsteps on the ground gradually approached. Looking up, he was stunned for a moment, as the remnants of the murderous thoughts permeating his mind as well as the related introspective thoughts were instantly swept away, Before him, Jin rested a hand on her hip and slung a cloth bag over her shoulder with the other. Her legs were also slightly apart, the black leather outfit she had worn before was now replaced and stuffed into the swollen sack along with the Blood and Flesh of the Holy Embryo. After being dazed for three seconds, Yi Chen quickly averted his gaze and swiftly extended his overcoat to her. But Jin immediately refused. ¡°No~ the incompatibility with Gentleman¡¯s Skin is quite dangerous, not to mention that your clothes are made from the skin of the First Gentleman. It might kill me if we¡¯re not careful. Don¡¯t worry about it. You, a man, have already seen my face; it doesn¡¯t matter if you see my body, too. Just remember that this kind of [viewing] is mutual. When we return, remember to repay me.¡± Yi Chen quickly changed the subject, asking about something very important to him, ¡°Jin¡­ is my left arm still there?¡± What followed was an arm handed over to him, battered beyond recognition, without a single intact bone, and marred with skin ruptured and flesh torn apart. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s become like this. But the overall structure is still intact, so it should be possible to reattach it. At least it¡¯s better than having none.¡± Having reattached his left arm, Yi Chen tried to move his fingers and surprisingly, the index and middle fingers could still move, indicating that the nervous system was relatively normal; with further repair of bones and flesh, a full recovery would likely be possible. If the whole arm had been lost, he would need to reconstruct it completely like Edmund, which could take a long time to adapt to. After the bones and wounds in the left arm received simple botanical treatment and connection, Yi Chen stepped into the middle of the ritual room, retrieved his briefcase, and also stripped off the clothing from a deceased teacher. ¡°Jin¡­ wear this for now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jin put on a fairly fitting clerical robe and donned a cowl, leaving only half of her face and bare feet exposed¡­ however, whenever Yi Chen looked at her, the full image from earlier involuntarily surfaced in his mind. He then divided the remaining Medicine evenly and inserted it into his arteries, restoring his physical condition. Yi Chen pointed to the instructors hanging from the ceiling, ¡°By the way, do we need to pack up these bodies too? Many of these instructors are Severe Patients, and their bodies should be useful to you, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Jin, however, waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯ve already checked them. The ¡®Origin¡¯ of these fellows has been completely drained through bleeding. Their bodies are worthless, even the Pathogen Cores have shriveled and are useless. All the essence has been concentrated here.¡± Jin gently shook the swollen pouch, indicating that the important things had already been collected. She continued, ¡°Those guys in Zion will surely reward us handsomely once they see this pile of flesh and understand what happened here¡­ after all, we have successfully contained the outbreak of Open Source Patients. Of course, the greatest merit lies with you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it once we¡¯re outside.¡± Just as the two were preparing to return the way they came through the Church, a restless disturbance came from beyond the wall, growing louder and louder, as if something terrifying was steadily approaching from underground. ¡°Are there more Patients¡­?¡± As Yi Chen and Jin took several steps back and prepared for battle, Boom! The wall collapsed. A pair of eerie small eyes stared out at them from the darkness. ¡°Little Pete!¡± Yi Chen called out the name the moment the eyes appeared. Immediately afterward, a large flock of chickens led by the black chicken Little Pete stormed into the ritual room, twisting their necks, searching for any possible enemies in the area. Little Pete quickly recognized Jin, though she was not wearing a mask, nor the floral suit, he identified her by her aura and hid at the very back of the flock, trembling non-stop. ¡°Little Pete, why are you here? Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave this place?¡± ¡°Cluck cluck! Everyone is very thankful to you, and since they didn¡¯t know where to go after leaving this forest¡­ they all decided to come and help, but it turns out you¡¯ve already taken care of everything.¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen showed a helpless yet relieved smile, Little Pete was clearly the most timid in the flock, but still chose the most dangerous course of action. Such a chicken was far more reliable than any human Yi Chen had encountered in his previous life. Whoosh! A red light flashed by, and Little Pete, who was at the very back, couldn¡¯t react in time before being caught, the nearly fatal grasp making it squawk incessantly. The entire flock turned around, directing their killing intent towards the captor. The one holding Little Pete was Jin, who while caressing the chicken¡¯s comb, spoke soothingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. If I wanted to kill, you would all be nearly dead by now¡­ By the way, haven¡¯t you become more formidable since the last time? You¡¯ve grown so many small eyes. Would you like to be my pet?¡± Cluck cluck cluck! If Yi Chen had asked this question, Little Pete would definitely have agreed, but faced with Jin, it could only feign ignorance and keep clucking. At that moment, Yi Chen stepped forward, taking on the role of mediator. ¡°Jin, are you sure you want to adopt Little Pete? If so, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll also have to take the entire flock with you.¡± Jin nodded affirmatively, ¡°Yes, especially this chicken! If we train it well, it could be of great help¡­ as long as they pass the tests, they can enter Zion as pets.¡± Yi Chen had read about the pet management regulations in Zion at the Great Book Library. From what he observed of the condition of the flock, there was indeed a high probability they would pass the tests. ¡°Little Pete, if you don¡¯t have a clear destination in mind, you might consider Jin¡¯s proposal. As long as you can pass our pet tests, you could live safely in Zion, and other chickens might also find good owners.¡± But Little Pete was so nervous tears were about to fall, as this wasn¡¯t an issue of going to Zion or passing the tests at all. It was because of an innate fear of Jin. If it hadn¡¯t been strengthened by the old chicken lady, it would have nearly lost control of its bladder. With courage gathered, Little Pete looked at Yi Chen, ¡°Can I be your¡­¡± Before the sentence was finished, an eye hidden in the darkness suddenly glared at Little Pete, scaring it almost to the point of fainting. In the end, Little Pete could only agree to Jin¡¯s proposal temporarily, intending to try living together for a while and also preparing to find an opportunity to escape. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 120: The Lost Holy Embryo Chapter 121: Chapter 120: The Lost Holy Embryo Just as Yi Chen had guessed. The underground river beneath the village was adjacent to the Church¡¯s ritual area, separated only by a wall. As the Church fell, the seal that was set there ceased to exist, and the flock of chickens easily breached the connection between the two sides with their excellent wall-boring ability. Traversing the winding underground river quickly brought them to the well at the village center. Without hurrying to the surface, Yi Chen first asked the chickens, ¡°Little Pei, did you encounter anyone else while you were in the underground river?¡± ¡°No cluck cluck!¡± After ten minutes of interaction, Little Pei, having confirmed that Jin indeed would not tear the chickens apart by hand, finally mustered the courage to stand firmly on Jin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hmm.¡± It was a bit strange, Yi Chen had clearly agreed with the girl Lene to inform her once the problem was eradicated. Yet as they approached the well, there was still no sign of her. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s an issue with the flock of chickens, Lene has never seen so many chickens before, let alone a flock able to easily break through walls, she might have stayed away out of consideration for her safety.¡± At that moment, the chickens began flapping their wings and one by one, they flew out of the well. Jin was even more exaggerated, propelling himself nearly ten meters into the air with an internal body explosion from his lower legs and jumping directly out of the well. The same problem presented itself, the temporary heart issue prevented Yi Chen from reaching the height of the well¡¯s opening. Just then, Jin suddenly poked his head out from the top of the well, ¡°William, it¡¯s so strange! We clearly killed the root of the grayification and cleared the disease root from the Church, but the grayification situation in the village hasn¡¯t diminished, in fact, it¡¯s thicker than when we first arrived. According to the knowledge learned from Cesimani, this unnatural Grey Zone should gradually disappear after we cleaned up the root, could there be Severe Patients hiding in the Church?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be any remnants, otherwise they would have come out to stop us when we were dealing with the Holy Embryo. Maybe it¡¯s ¡®environmental delay¡¯, which is also mentioned in the books, some gray aura compressed between the layers of rock needs to wait a few hours or even days after the root is eliminated before it slowly dissipates. Jin, there should still be some Butchers and Scavengers active in the village, do you want to try and clear them out to make some spare minced meat? Just in case we encounter an accident on the way back to town.¡± ¡°Sure, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a walk in the underground river to see if there are any Patients hiding that need to be dealt with.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you later cluck!¡± To cover up the embarrassment of being unable to ascend from the well and considering Jin¡¯s manic traits, Yi Chen decided to meet the girl Lene alone. However, Walking down the familiar limestone cave corridor, the closer he got to Lene¡¯s dwelling, the more solemn Yi Chen¡¯s expression became. Because the corridor was filled with a black flow that hadn¡¯t been there before, even the air seemed to have become heavier. Even after getting closer, the water droplets falling from the stalactites turned into black viscous liquid, and the ground began to have sticky black water flowing over it. This black liquid did not smell foul; instead, it had a rather fresh fragrance, like a special juice that had just been produced. And it carried an attribute Yi Chen was all too familiar with ¨C ¡®rebirth¡¯. But this black liquid¡¯s rebirth was entirely different from that of the flesh-colored rebirth of Holy Embryo Marcos, it even seemed superior. The sleeping Little Grape also smelled something, forcing its mouth open, revealing its eyes, and even instinctively trying to replace Yi Chen¡¯s left arm to deal with the impending danger. ¡°William! We just killed the Holy Embryo, wasn¡¯t the incident over? Could there be deeper secrets within the Church that we weren¡¯t aware of? That shouldn¡¯t be the case, as all their knowledge was clearly used for the production of the Holy Embryo, and even the mother was there.¡± ¡°The situation is a bit different, I am on my way to Lene¡¯s place.¡± ¡°That girl¡­ Could it be!¡± Little Grape guessed something, immediately crawled out from the shoulder, and widened its eyes to observe the situation ahead with Yi Chen. Not far ahead was Lene¡¯s limestone cave dwelling, which was also the source of the black liquid. Snap! As Yi Chen stepped into the cave and the kerosene lamp illuminated the interior, The image of the girl who used to sit by the bonfire for warmth and food was instantly erased from his mind, and in its place was a swollen, writhing black mass. It clung to the center of the limestone cave, with over a dozen pitch-black appendages resembling arms¡ªor more accurately, soft tissue limbs¡ªsprouting from its body, desperately sucking liquid from the stalactites. The mass was still growing, still expanding, and at its center, on top, was the head of a black-haired girl. Seemingly aware of a visitor¡¯s presence, the head began to slowly turn until it was facing the visitor standing at the doorway. ¡°Big brother, you¡¯ve arrived! You guys actually managed to cure the disease! However, about ten minutes ago a strange grey light enveloped me, causing my body to undergo changes, and I didn¡¯t manage to come and greet you, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± As she spoke, several mucous-covered tentacle-like arms reached out, Yi Chen didn¡¯t dodge, letting the soft tissue brush against him, devoid of malice, merely a friendly touch. The girl¡¯s head was none other than Lene Histera. The hair that previously covered half of her face now floated upward just like the tentacle arms, revealing horizontally-striped pupils and a forehead with curved goat horns. ¡®Single-Horned Goat Eyes¡¯ This feature instantly made Yi Chen think of important information obtained during the investigation of the village¡ªthe ¡°Holy Embryo¡±. A humanoid form with goat-like features was considered a Holy Embryo, and Church members would personally arrive to take the Holy Embryo away to the deep layers of the Church to conduct the Birth ritual. The answer was clear, for some reason, the girl Lene was a Holy Embryo who had been abandoned in an underground area and wasn¡¯t taken to the Church¡­ It was likely her parents¡¯ doing, hiding the child from the Church and throwing her down the well in hopes that she would continue to survive. ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m really sorry¡­ I might need to ask a favor of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My movements have become quite inconvenient, could I trouble you to carry me to the ¡®High Wall Base¡¯?¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t ask for the specifics of the reason, he simply picked up the black mass and moved towards the destination at top speed. The narrow fissures and passages along the way had been burst open by the Village Chief, allowing Lene¡¯s mass-like body to pass through smoothly, and they quickly arrived at the edge of their destination. A few dozen meters below was the convergence of giant roots, the meat ponds and mud pits where they absorbed nutrients. ¡°Big brother, just throw me down there! If you jump down with me on your back, you might get hurt.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yi Chen tilted his body so Lene could fall freely, Splat! A large amount of mud splashed up, and the girl¡¯s head quickly looked up to express her gratitude to Yi Chen. Following this, a bizarre scene unfolded. The surface of the black mass sprouted numerous mouth-like structures, frantically sucking nutrients from the mud pool, while spikes grew from the palms of the soft tentacle arms, piercing into the thick roots to suck on the plant nutrients despised by the Church, amid this process, the black mass grew rapidly, even beginning to fill up the lower zone and transforming into a super-sized womb-like structure. [The Outer World] The towering tree walls of the enclosed forest ceased expanding and, within minutes, withered, decayed, and even died. Yi Chen stood on the edge of the deep pit the whole time, observing the situation below, until a brass-bound ¡°Long Strip Frame¡± with a starting point engraved with an umbilical cord relief and filled with a black liquid symbolizing rebirth emerged in his line of sight. Names and titles were also attached above the frame ¡ìThe Black Maiden of Palingenesis¡ªLene Histera¡ì Seeing such a sight, Yi Chen revealed a mocking smile: ¡°How ironic¡­ A girl who wasn¡¯t cultivated by the Church, who didn¡¯t accept the so-called instructor¡¯s sacrifices, and who fed on the lowest grade of blood-flesh plants every day, actually became what the Church ultimately wanted to create. Even more perfect, with a higher level of rebirth. It seems that these Church members and the supposed ¡®Mother of New Birth¡¯ were merely ¡®primers¡¯ after all, establishing a connection through the ritual with some ancient entity to receive its bounty. This bounty will not stop because of Marcos¡¯ death, the ¡®bounty¡¯ will actively seek out the next target, and Lene, the abandoned Holy Embryo, just happens to be an additional high-quality option.¡± Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 121: Giving Gifts Chapter 122: Chapter 121: Giving Gifts Beneath the deep pit, the black organs crowded at the bottom were slowly shriveling, a vastly different girl crawled out from them, her head¡¯s frame structure and her name were also hidden, no longer the bloated body shape but an impeccable humanoid form. The head had not changed much, still featuring a single horn on one side and the horizontal pupil of a sheep¡¯s eye, her slender body with a round hole at the abdomen (the size equating to a circle made with both hands), as if her uterine organs were removed, suggesting other implications, continuously, black liquid spilled from this circular hole. This black liquid signified new life, ordinary people, regardless of gender, once they touched and absorbed it, would become pregnant (males would consume more energy to quickly build a temporary uterus inside their body). The skin below the abdomen was black, and her pitch-black legs stood on the ground, with only four toes remaining¡­ precisely, the little toes had regressed and disappeared. The remaining toenails were thick, with some strange runes engraved on them. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Yi Chen jumped down from above, cushioning his fall with the soft organs and mucus, ¡°Big brother!¡± The girl Lene still had the same smile as before, ran over, and hugged Yi Chen tightly, showing no hostility of a patient toward humans, only gratitude in her eyes. The newly reborn Lene, like a newborn, longed for such an embrace (tilting her head so the horn wouldn¡¯t jab into the chest), After a five-minute-long hug, Lene slowly raised her head, tears swirling in her eyes. ¡°Big brother, I feel a pull, I might be going to a very distant place¡­¡± ¡°We were supposed to part anyway, go live your own life. As long as you are alive, we will surely meet again.¡± Upon hearing Yi Chen¡¯s soothing words, Lene immediately responded like a child: ¡°Okay! Oh, I have something I want to give you.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the girl reached into the hole in her abdomen, forcefully pulling out an ¡®umbilical cord¡¯ connected inside. This was precisely the connection to the ancient womb she used during her open source development. Glossy black, vibrant and continuously dripping with fresh mucus, ¡°This is no longer useful to me, but it might be of use to you, big brother.¡± Yi Chen watched the umbilical cord held in the girl¡¯s hand, able to smell an ancient aura, far surpassing that of Holy Embryo Marcos. This black umbilical cord was indeed associated with Lene¡¯s source, its value imaginable. ¡°Are you really giving it to me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seeing Lene¡¯s resolute eyes, Yi Chen slowly extended his only right hand. The moment his fingertips touched the surface of the umbilical cord, a buzz! The similar sensation, a kind of mental pull, but this time in a ¡®semi-voluntary form¡¯, because of the ¡®touching action¡¯ made by Yi Chen, his consciousness was drawn by an ancient thought within the umbilical cord. His consciousness detached from the body, sliding through a fresh, moist tunnel. In this process, he gradually lost the concept of time. After an indeterminate amount of time With a *puh*¡ªemerging from the soft mouth of the tunnel, and following the black slick liquid, he fell hundreds of meters from the sky. With a *splat*! He landed on a puddle of incredibly sticky black mud, the impact of the fall absorbed by the mud, like landing on a soft air cushion, completely unharmed. Rising to his feet, he could see no end to the mud pit. Then slowly raised his head to look at the sky, where the dim clouds resembled some kind of living organ, from which numerous flesh-colored conduits emerged, one of which had just transported Yi Chen. As his view shifted forward, he quickly spotted a peculiar object in the sky. A gigantic goat skull, suspended in mid-air, took the place of the sun and moon¡­ From the pitch-black eye sockets, black viscous liquid continuously flowed out, forming two black waterfalls that irrigated the earth. As he gazed at the goat¡¯s skull, William¡¯s vision was immediately assisted and pulled by an external force, causing his view to keep zooming in, as if like a movie camera, drawn inexorably towards the skull¡¯s eye sockets to passively observe what lay inside. It seemed to house a person, a high-level existence whose appearance William could not discern, and even music began to play gradually, distinctly different from the ocean music he once heard in the Fish Scale Abyss. A girl¡¯s harmony, interspersed with deep, spaced drumbeats, a blend of flute and harp. On the surface it sounded peaceful and serene, yet it was tinged with sadness and even resented elements. As his view zoomed in further, just about to glimpse His appearance, whiz! The connection was forcibly severed. William¡¯s consciousness instantly snapped back to the Original World, back to the High Wall Base, returning to his own body. At this moment, the Black Umbilical Cord had already wound itself around William¡¯s severely damaged left arm, caused by the Red Lotus Explosion and excessive use. Miraculously, under the influence of the umbilical cord, it healed perfectly, growing flesh as tender as a baby¡¯s. The entire left arm¡¯s neural connections were also completely restored, with no discomfort whatsoever. As William stared at the Black Umbilical Cord, his Professional Characteristics began to analyze relevant information, displaying it in the form of ¡®ancient living script¡¯. ¡ºKey Artifact Acquired [Relic-The-Black-Umbilical-Cord]¡» ¡ÚOverview¡Û: Also known as ¡°Sheep¡¯s Belt¡± Associated with the newly born sheep, a critical medium established during the second birth with the Old World¡¯s mother, responsible for carrying ancient knowledge and nutrients, rare and precious. Important information retained on the inner wall of the umbilical cord is usable for breakthroughs in related attributes of [Physique] and [Psyche], giving birth anew to the body. After obtaining a breakthrough with this relic, aside from enhancing one¡¯s own abilities, the additional relic trait ¡®Superfast Regeneration¡¯ will also be acquired. Carrying the relic will provide a passive effect: ¡®Continuous Regeneration¡¯. ¡­ ¡°[Relic]!¡± William was stunned by this miraculous gift. Just as he looked up again to thank Lene, the girl who had stood there had vanished, maybe, as she mentioned, ¡®pulled¡¯ to a place truly suitable for living. Whew¡­ William took a deep breath. Clutching the umbilical cord in his hand, his mental state was somewhat peculiar, his mind rapidly accepting, reflecting on everything that had just happened, and conducting self-examination. ¡°Have I~ created an ¡®open source patient¡¯? This should completely violate the gentleman¡¯s principles, akin to adding a terrible festering sore to the world. But did I really do something wrong? Miss Lene did not harm me; instead, she fully healed my grievously injured left arm and even gave me from her hand an invaluable relic for breaking through the ¡®Limit of Man¡¯. You know, how many gentlemen in Zion are because they can¡¯t obtain relics, always restricted to human limitations, only able to realize their own value through commerce, contributing skills, et cetera. If I meet Miss Lene again, she might still offer help. What exactly is going on¡­¡± William shook his head hard, momentarily confused about the true definition of ¡®patient¡¯. ¡°What really distinguishes a patient from a human? Is there a possibility that the Church¡¯s ideology is correct¡­ in such a world, full of scars and critically ill, are patients the denizens of the new era?¡± Just then, Jin¡¯s voice suddenly came from above: ¡°William, so you¡¯re here~ Running off alone to this forest high wall, do you seek to monopolize more [Merit]? Don¡¯t worry~ When we submit the mission, I will attribute most of the credit to you. Hurry up and come up; we need to rush back to Zion as there are many tasks to submit and process.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± William¡¯s thoughts were pulled back, He clutched his hands into the wall and climbed out of the deep pit, the umbilical cord wrapped around his arm also hidden within his sleeve. Considering various factors, William didn¡¯t share these events with Jin. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 122: Instructors Reward Chapter 123: Chapter 122: Instructor¡¯s Reward Walking along the underground river, Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts remained on the recent events and the umbilical cord. Similar to the umbilical cord in the Church, this object seemed like an independent lifeform, which appeared to enjoy clinging to Yi Chen¡¯s body, even considering him as its ¡®owner¡¯. Considering how this ¡°Relic¡± was acquired, which might violate the Gentlemen¡¯s and Zion¡¯s rules, Yi Chen chose to conceal it and cleanly erase the events at the High Wall Base and the girl Lene from the current investigation. After all, Yi Chen was the only one who had come into contact with these matters. Since the ¡°Black Umbilical Cord¡± preferred to reside in an organic environment, Yi Chen tried to lead the cord wrapped around his arm towards the opening in his chest, to keep it with the plant heart. The umbilical cord seemed to sense Yi Chen¡¯s thoughts and slowly wriggled towards the heart. When it made contact with the plant heart, it detected that the heart was a temporary creation, not the original organ. The umbilical cord actually exuded a black liquid symbolizing rebirth from its end, reshaping the heart. Of course, this complete reconstruction, as opposed to merely repairing his left arm, was dozens, if not hundreds, of times more complex. ¡°Relics are not only used for breakthroughs; they also possess inherent trait effects, similar to ¡®accessories¡¯. As long as one carries them, they can exert their corresponding passive effects. This ¡®Black Umbilical Cord¡¯ is essentially a physical cheat device; as long as it¡¯s worn, any injuries can slowly heal under its effect. Moreover, it doesn¡¯t require any nourishment for itself. According to records in books, these relics connected to the ancients can, through their special structure, internal engravings, and so on, establish a connection with the old world and directly acquire energy replenishment from there. No wonder Zion does not have openly priced relics; who wouldn¡¯t want such things.¡± When the two returned to the surface, the flock of chickens was waiting here, Timid Little Pei did not take the opportunity to flee; it seemed to have decided to become Jin¡¯s pet and led the flock to Zion for a pet test. With the withering and collapse of the high walls, the path out of the forest was no longer obstructed. Even outside the treeline, they unexpectedly encountered Mr. Willmer, the temporary person in charge from the ¡°Black Eye Base,¡± who had come to check on the situation. He was first amazed that the two had truly ended the incident, even bringing back a group of controllable avian Pathological variants, however, when he learned that all team members had perished, his eyes immediately dimmed, and after forcing a smile to congratulate them, he returned to the base alone. In such a world, though death had become commonplace, the loss of former friends would still devastate and torture one¡¯s spirit. The luxurious carriage arrived on schedule to pick up Jin and Yi Chen, with the chicken flock, apart from Little Pei, settled in the carriage¡¯s lower compartment. Lying on the soft bed, Yi Chen did not welcome the comfort he had expected, and he even had some difficulty falling asleep. Suddenly, the voice of Little Grape came through his consciousness: ¡°In such a world, mediocrities will inevitably meet their death early. There¡¯s nothing to care about. As long as we¡¯re alive, that¡¯s enough, enjoy the present. Look at Jin, that guy fell asleep as soon as he got on the carriage.¡± Indeed, Jin¡¯s snoring could be heard from the adjacent bed, his left leg dangling off the bed, his right leg shifted to one side, and his tilted head continuously drooling from the corner of his mouth; such a sleeping posture indeed matched someone who had gone through a life and death ordeal and had exhausted all energy. Little Pei, on the other hand, was very obediently curled up on the ground, not moving an inch. ¡°No, I¡¯m not overly occupied with thoughts about death. The survival of the fittest, I¡¯m quite clear about that. I¡¯m just pondering the issue between humans and the Patients¡­¡± Little Grape seemed to grasp the meaning and cracked a strange smile in response: ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? Don¡¯t you have your own set of criteria? Don¡¯t mind the differences. You only need to use your own criteria to distinguish. I decided to adventure with you precisely because I saw this in you. If you really want to know the answer, wait until you reach a higher Rank, venture into deeper Pathological areas, or when you have discerned the true face of this world, then you¡¯ll naturally know. Break through the ¡®Limit of Man¡¯ quickly, so that I can taste more delicious grapes.¡± As Little Grape spoke, strands of flesh-like threads continued to spill from its mouth as if it had gained some new ability. ¡°Zion City Gate¡± Bringing back such a group of disease-afflicted animals necessitated a thorough check by the epidemiological staff stationed in the towers at the city gate for pathology, mental health, and potential dangers, among other inspections. After receiving a clearance report, the chickens would still be sent to the Hippocrates Hospital for deeper testing. It would take at least three days of processing to get the final test results. ¡°Cesimani¡± Senior Instructor ¨C Belli Herta still stood as before, her black stockings planted directly on the floor, cradling the newcomer¡¯s finger she had recently collected, stroking it while listening to Yi Chen¡¯s detailed overview of the entire incident. When she heard that the two of them had worked together to overturn the whole Church and prevent the birth of Open Source, Belli¡¯s expression changed only slightly, and in a casual tone, she said, ¡°The situation actually got this serious, we should have sent more people with you¡­ If you two youngsters had died, the loss would have been too severe. I will report your verbal investigation results to the Gentleman Hall. The guys above will also contact you soon to inquire about the event details, and the corresponding rewards will be issued in a few days. To stop the birth of Open Source, the expansion of the Pathological forest, and to eradicate such a Church organization under the initial conditions of the Grey Zone, I believe they will not be stingy with the rewards. Be prepared to be commended, and then rest well these next few days.¡± Jin was already getting impatient, eager to return and process and refine the flesh inside her cloth bag. One hand tugging at Yi Chen¡¯s arm, the other waving goodbye to the instructor. But Belli gestured with her hand, ¡°William, stay for a moment, I have something to ask you alone, after all, this is the first time you¡¯ve completed a mission we assigned here. Jin, you wait outside as usual.¡± A similar situation, a similar scene. When Jin left the office, the toes within the fishnet stockings clamped onto Yi Chen¡¯s tie, and an irresistible force came into play. Snap! Half of Yi Chen¡¯s body was dragged onto the desk. Belli pushed up her glasses, her eyes filled with interest in the young man. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually come back unharmed, and it seems you get along quite well with Jin¡­ truly worthy of being the First Gentleman¡¯s recipient. Moreover, your physique seems even firmer than before you left on the mission. Has your Physique reached Rank 4?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Oh, and by the way~ I brought back two gifts for you during the mission.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Belli¡¯s interest piqued, she temporarily let go of the tie between her feet, allowing Yi Chen to fetch his suitcase. Two distinct fingers were gently placed by Yi Chen on the desk, one thick and covered with a hard rock layer, emanating the color of steel, the other wrinkled and more akin to a chicken claw than a finger. Following this, Belli swiftly smashed the Village Chief¡¯s finger to pieces, showing no interest in the thick finger with its aesthetic-less rock structure, then delicately picked up the old hen¡¯s finger and brought it to her face, a soft and flexible tongue extended out and lightly licked the surface of the finger, engaging in a Deep Feeling through the sensation on her taste buds. ¡°A fine flavor! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve encountered a finger of avian hybrid, and this one¡¯s mixed with a heavy scent of Revenge, truly a fine item, I¡¯ll accept it. So tell me, how would you like me to Reward you? This is Cesimani, we can set aside some of the surface-level gentlemen¡¯s Rules for now, speak your true Thought.¡± Belli reclined in her office chair, one hand propping up her cheek and the other pinching the old hen¡¯s finger. Her feet propped up on the table, conveying hidden meanings to Yi Chen with the curling of her toes. Yi Chen gazed steadily at those impeccably structured toes through the black fishnets, and the perfect junction between the foot and the calf, as he spoke firmly, ¡°Please teach me some movement techniques, Instructor Belli¡­¡± ¡°Ah~ that¡¯s it?¡± Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 123 Concealment Chapter 124: Chapter 123 Concealment ¡°Take off your shirt.¡± Facing the demand of the senior instructor, Yi Chen had no choice but to comply. After unbuttoning the last button and removing his shirt, a physique unlike that of an ordinary man was revealed, with the scars of newly formed flesh filling in the space over his chest particularly noticeable. Slap! Beili suddenly drew a slender teaching whip and lashed it across Yi Chen¡¯s side abdomen. A whipping like this would normally have someone rolling and hopping in pain, but Yi Chen¡¯s expression was somewhat strange. The external oblique muscle that the whip hit showed a slightly indented shape, then slowly filled back out as if it were being inflated. Slap, slap, slap~ Then, she struck several other parts of Yi Chen¡¯s body, all of which exhibited similar phenomena, even in some areas where there should have been no muscle, were filled with small muscle-like tissues. After a round of whipping ended, she scraped Yi Chen¡¯s side abdominal muscles with the whip, ¡°I cannot teach you, and the reason is simple! Your physical form has transcended the ordinary. Look at this distribution of muscles and the conditional reflex of adaptability, it¡¯s preposterous. The so-called movement techniques are also built on my understanding of the physical body. And my understanding is not suitable for you¡­ Go back to Zede, he¡¯s the only one in this city who can teach you on a physical level. Moreover, in my opinion, you don¡¯t need to pay too much attention to movement technique. Using the time spent learning it to further understand the physical body might yield better results,¡± she said. ¡°Understood.¡± While Yi Chen was getting dressed again, Beili rummaged through a drawer and took out a small item. ¡°Hey~ I don¡¯t like owing others anything. Take this, you can come to me with any issues in the future.¡± A special card depicting an olive tree on the back was tossed to Yi Chen, it was Cesimani¡¯s unconditional access pass. With this card, Yi Chen could enjoy the same privileges as ordinary students and even participate in the training and sparring here. ¡°By the way, what do you think of Jin?¡± Faced with the question thrown by Instructor Beili, Yi Chen did not think too long. ¡°An extreme and uncontrollable personality likely results from character flaws from her early life that cannot be repaired. However, it is possible to turn these flaws into a ¡®key¡¯ for working and associating with her, and they may also serve as a ¡®special pillar¡¯ for her to live in this world.¡± Beili seemed quite satisfied with the answer, as with her toes through her fishnet stockings, she gently prodded Yi Chen¡¯s chin. ¡°It seems you already have quite an understanding of her. In that case, you two can deepen your cooperation in the future.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t reject Instructor Beili¡¯s habit of using her feet, and while maintaining this contact, thought of another topic. ¡°Right, Jin¡¯s ¡®Coordination¡¯ has reached its limit, so you should have her embark on Relic retrieval and Extreme Breakthrough soon, right?¡± ¡°Correct, she should be undertaking a mission related to Relics within half a year, and if you¡¯re interested, you could participate as well.¡± ¡°Good. Also, before going on a mission, I mentioned you to Teacher Zede, and he still remembers you. Would you like me to schedule a time for you to visit the Academy, Instructor Beili?¡± Upon hearing this, Beili retracted her feet and her expression changed slightly. ¡°No need, I can see him anytime I want. Let¡¯s leave it at that for today, and you¡¯re always welcome to come by anytime. Participating in our daily training is also fine.¡± ¡°Alright, goodbye, Instructor!¡± Just as Yi Chen turned to leave and was nearing the secret door of the office, a gentle touch suddenly pressed against his back, His physical body felt a soft, squeezing sensation, but on a spiritual level, it was as if sharp knives were pressing against his back, some of the blades even piercing his body. Along with this, came Instructor Beili¡¯s voice, cold and somewhat alien. ¡°One last thing~ The investigation you described, you didn¡¯t hide anything from me, did you?¡± As she asked this question, the Instructor behind him moved down her body and placed her ear below his left scapula, which was near the heart, intentionally listening to Yi Chen¡¯s heartbeat. A drop of cold sweat slid down his forehead, Yi Chen steadied his mind, ¡°Everything I¡¯ve described is the truth¡­ If Instructor Beili has any doubts, she can verify it with Jin.¡± The office fell silent. Beili didn¡¯t respond; she simply listened quietly to the sound of his heartbeat. After an unknown amount of time, the sensation on his back finally disappeared, and when a sweat-drenched Yi Chen turned his head back, he saw the Instructor Beili smiling as she placed Old Lady Ji¡¯s finger into her exhibition cabinet, as if nothing had happened. Without lingering, he immediately met up with Jin outside of Cesimani and left together. When Yi Chen crossed the arch bridge and returned to the street district, he suddenly knelt on one knee, his palm covering his wildly beating heart. Within his heart, the creaking sounds of plant roots spreading through his blood vessels to the inner wall of his heart, forcibly stabilizing the rhythm of his heart, began to slowly retract. If not for the control of his heartbeat by the plant, he would have surely been exposed by Instructor Beili. Jin, concerned only about the swollen pouch on her shoulder, showed no suspicion of Yi Chen¡¯s abnormality. ¡°Hurry up, the meat will spoil if we don¡¯t get it processed soon.¡± ¡°Jin¡­ My temporary heart seems to be failing; I need to rush to the hospital. Why don¡¯t you go back first, and I¡¯ll find you once I¡¯ve dealt with my injury.¡± ¡°Remember to come.¡± Jin shrugged her shoulders; her interest in a brand new weapon surpassed her concern for Yi Chen, and she quickly disappeared into the streets. Yi Chen also slowly got up, his forehead covered in cold sweat. Instead of going directly to Omphalo-Centric-Academy, he used a public telephone on the roadside to make an appointment with Professor Qian Bosen. The content of the conversation was simple; Professor Qian Bosen could tell that Yi Chen had something shady to discuss with him, and only said one sentence over the phone. ¡°Your clothing is almost due for maintenance, let¡¯s talk about other things later.¡± After hanging up, Yi Chen headed straight for the ¡°Street District-Underlayer,¡± slipping into Chasm Street, hidden and full of various ¡®illegal¡¯ shops, he returned to the corner of the street where the Nameless Tailor Shop stood. Upon climbing the second floor staircase, the secret door of the Clothing Room opened a crack, clearly left ajar for Yi Chen. As he stepped in, the secret door immediately shut. Professor Qian Bosen had arrived ahead of him and was chatting casually with the tailor Ivan in the cramped Clothing Room. As Yi Chen arrived, Ivan, the shop owner, came forward with a cane, touching the fabric with one hand. ¡°Has it been damaged to this extent in less than a year of wearing?¡± ¡°I apologize¡­ The damage from the last mission was too severe. If not for Mr. Ivan¡¯s craftsmanship, this garment would probably not be wearable by now.¡± ¡°Bring me some ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ that matches your outfit; I will help you repair it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Professor Qian Bosen stood silently at the rear, an owl perched on his shoulder, inspecting Yi Chen, whose essence had transformed. ¡°Has your physique improved? It seems the missions provided by Cesimani are quite effective for you¡­ Tell me, what¡¯s so crucial that it can¡¯t be discussed at the academy, and you need to meet with me privately?¡± Yi Chen nodded, and in the region of his heart, there was a ripple of movement as some living thing slowly surged up his throat. Quickly! A black umbilical cord emerged from his mouth, as if alive, automatically wrapping around his arm. At the sight of the umbilical cord, both the former grand tailor Ivan and the knowledgeable Professor Qian Bosen paused for a moment. ¡°This is¡­ a Relic of life attribute!¡± Yi Chen made no attempt to hide anything, and he told the entire detailed process of his investigation, including the ¡®Lost Holy Embryo¡¯ he had kept hidden from Instructor Beili. Upon hearing that Yi Chen chose to help the Patient with Open Source and obtained the Relic, Mr. Ivan first showed a smile, ¡°White Eagle, I wondered why you suddenly took an interest in accepting students¡­ Such a student, Zion would be hard-pressed to find another like him in decades, if not a hundred years.¡± Professor Qian Bosen didn¡¯t respond to his old friend, but instead placed a hand on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Your secrecy is correct; the matter of assisting the Patient with Open Source, once exposed, will certainly cause some controversy. This Relic¡¯s value has already surpassed that of an ordinary Relic. Continue to keep it inside you and ensure no one else becomes aware of it. I will also intervene as much as possible with the inquiries and assessments for your missions by the Gentleman Hall.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± ¡°Well done! You truly are my student.¡± Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 124 Event Reward Chapter 125: Chapter 124 Event Reward Events in Jose Valley, Shepherd Village, and the emergence of the new Church somewhat stirred the higher-ups; several managers took joint responsibility for the verification of the incident. The staff at Gentleman Hall also conducted private inquiries about Yi Chen and Jin, carrying out three checks within five days. The last verification was carried out personally by the manager, The manager who approached Yi Chen alone was none other than Mr. Aiji, known for his intersecting dealings and his fondness for wearing his hat at a tilt. A few days ago, when he took over the review of the incident, he immediately recognized ¡°William Behrens¡± on the list of those who handled the incident and volunteered to take charge of this individual. Because of the regret over the investigation into the Twilight Clinic and recalling Yi Chen¡¯s fearless defiance in the face of death, refusing the gentlemanly character bestowed by the Moon Scar, Aiji fully believed Yi Chen¡¯s account of the events and even took the initiative to ¡®beautify¡¯ these records on his own accord. He asked only one question: why the intermediary that Yi Chen encountered with the event was ¡°Cesimani.¡± After receiving the answer, he did not ask further, but he did suggest that Yi Chen should try to take on tasks through ¡°Gentleman Hall¡± in the future, as it would be more beneficial for a gentleman like him to grow through normal channels. ¡°Due to the impact of the incident exceeding estimates, the final assessment will take a few more days. Don¡¯t worry, you did very well, and the reward will certainly not be less,¡± ¡°Thank you, Manager Aiji.¡± Aiji held his hat on one side and picked up the gentleman¡¯s cane by the door, immediately returning to the hall to submit the documents. Two days later, Professor Qian Bosen personally came to Yi Chen¡¯s dormitory to inform him that the event evaluation and reward distribution would take place in the meeting room of Gentleman Hall in a few hours. His personal visit was due to the need for a series of special preparations before departure, to prevent any slip-ups. The two arrived at the meeting room just in time, Four managers including Aiji were already in place. Jin had also taken her seat early, dressed in a temporary suit without the ¡°Gentlemen¡¯s Skin,¡± and wearing a remade rainbow mask, sitting beside the entrance. The chair next to her had been pulled out in advance, as if waiting for Yi Chen to sit down. No sooner had Yi Chen taken his seat than snap! Jin clenched his wrist, red threads burrowing into it, while she murmured softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you would come to find me? Why have I heard nothing from you these past few days?¡± ¡°There have been many things at the academy; I will definitely come over after the assessment is over.¡± Jin turned her mask slightly, giving an affirmative look, and then retracted her hand. She was actually also looking forward to the upcoming rewards, whispering, ¡°With four managers participating in the assessment, we should be able to receive quite good rewards, right? Maybe it¡¯s exactly what I need for my weapon making. I hope these people can be generous.¡± After a brief private exchange, they returned their attention to the table. Manager Aiji once again announced the results of the event assessment. ¡°First of all, we are extremely grateful to you as the support team for arriving promptly at the site and effectively containing the situation that had severely escalated. Your performance in this incident has fully surpassed that of rookie gentlemen, and I am pleased that we have talents like you serving the organization; the organization will naturally provide the richest resources to cultivate you. After subsequent investigative teams went to Jose Valley to verify the situation on the site, and based on our collation of information and multiple assessments over these days, we have rated the difficulty of this support incident as five-star under the human difficulty level, and your deeds will be directly highlighted in your personal files. The specific rewards are as follows: 1. Each person receives 8,000 silver coins. 2. Task Points (important) +1. 3. The birds you brought back have passed the pet certification; if you agree to let the organization handle the pet sale, we will distribute the silver coins obtained from the sale to you at a ratio of 30/70. 4. You can choose any item or material that is one level higher than your current level from the Gentleman¡¯s Treasure Vault. 5. Permission to meet with the First Gentleman.¡± When issuing the rewards, Jin stood up and gave an exaggerated gentleman¡¯s bow to the managers, unaware that beneath the mask was a face twisted with excitement. ¡°How generous indeed, the rewards are even better than I expected¡­ Thank you very much.¡± Yi Chen also realized the significance of the rewards, which were much higher than those from the Twilight Clinic. This was probably directly related to containing the spread of the new Grey Zone, forcibly preventing the birth of an Open Source patient and exterminating them. ¡°Jin, you just need the materials, so I¡¯ll give you the privilege of going to the treasure vault.¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem quite right~ You are the main driver of the investigation.¡± ¡°You can pay me back when you have the opportunity later; I¡¯m not in a hurry to need materials or tools right now.¡± One of the reasons why Yi Chen voluntarily relinquished his opportunity to visit the vault was not easy to express; it was that he had already gained the most valuable reward from the incident¡ªthe ¡°Relic.¡± ¡°Really~ You make others owe you favors again.¡± After accepting Yi Chen¡¯s goodwill, Jin stood up again, turned to the managers: ¡°By the way~ I¡¯ll pass on meeting the First Gentleman~ I don¡¯t like the ¡®Skin¡¯ with too high a concentration. Just give me a piece of ordinary skin with the aura of the old world, 10¡Á10 cm will be fine, or you could give William some extra ¡®Skin¡¯ on behalf of the First Gentleman.¡± Manager Aiji replied, ¡°The First Gentleman himself will determine how much to give. Since you forfeit the opportunity, we will compensate you with a 10x10cm piece of ordinary ¡®Skin.¡¯ With a shrug, Jin showed no concern. Yi Chen seemed to understand why Jin did this. At the beginning of their journey by carriage out of the city, Jin had expressed her views on ¡®Skin.¡¯ In her eyes, Zion was just a stepping stone; she had no desire to be bound by ¡®Skin.¡¯ Once her own strength was sufficient, she would leave this place, even departing from this continent. The meeting concluded. One of the supervisors took Jin to the Gentleman¡¯s Treasure Vault to choose a reward, while Qian Bosen and Supervisor Aiji took Yi Chen to meet with the ¡°First Gentleman¡± once again. Before they parted, Jin used a look to remind Yi Chen to remember their agreement. After sorting out the reward, he should go find her. ¡°Divine Skin Mansion¡± This time, as Yi Chen walked down the secret passage leading to the deeper layer, he no longer relied on Little Grape. With wisps of white smoke rising from his head, he resisted the whispers emanating from the deep on his own, but his skin still felt uncomfortable and seemed ready to peel off at any moment. Supervisor Aiji felt somewhat uneasy walking here as well, scratching his wrist involuntarily to stop the incessant itching underneath his skin. He could have chosen not to come and let Qian Bosen handle everything. But out of curiosity, Aiji still wanted to see how much ¡°skin¡± Yi Chen could obtain from the First Gentleman. While descending, he used a special means of telepathy to ask Qian Bosen privately: ¡°Not even a year in the city, and already you¡¯re meeting the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ for the second time. You really found yourself a good student, White Eagle~ But there¡¯s an issue that you must have noticed, right? Such outstanding performance will undoubtedly attract the attention of the ¡®Divine Skin.¡¯ Just now, walking through the mansion, we received plenty of strange looks from the clergy. If the student you¡¯ve been carefully nurturing is truly chosen by Divine Skin, what will you do then?¡± ¡°I will seek William¡¯s opinion in advance and assist him in making the right decision¡­ It¡¯s too early to discuss this now; focus on your own matters, Aiji.¡± Supervisor Aiji slightly adjusted his top hat and said no more. ¡°Deep in the Mansion ¨C Underground Church¡± The First Gentleman ¨C Alexis King Claude was still suspended above the Altar, perhaps sensing the scent of the skin that came from Yi Chen, he opened his eyes in advance, fixating them on the familiar young man. He wasn¡¯t surprised, It seemed he had already foreseen the youth¡¯s return. When the First Gentleman quickly scanned the report of deeds presented by Aiji, his eyes, weaving through his white hair, deeply scrutinized Yi Chen, and his voice filled the Underground Church. ¡°Come over.¡± As usual, Yi Chen ascended the steps, ready to undergo the ¡®exchange of skin.¡¯ But the First Gentleman didn¡¯t touch his palm as before; instead, he directly asked Yi Chen about something the supervisors had never asked. ¡°When you dealt with the ¡®Newborn Church,¡¯ did you get drawn by some medium, did your consciousness travel to a special area, an ancient world area symbolizing ¡®rebirth¡¯?¡± These words stunned Yi Chen, but before the First Gentleman he dared not deny it outright, as the other party might have seen something on him. ¡°I¡¯ve been there¡­ When I was slaying the Holy Embryo, my consciousness was drawn to a mucous area. There, the ground was covered with the mucus of rebirth, the sky drifted with umbilical cord-like tubes, and a ram¡¯s head like a sun. Just as I was about to observe the view inside the ram¡¯s head, my comrade woke me up.¡± Yi Chen steadied his mind and responded to the First Gentleman with a mixture of truth and fabrication. ¡°Is that so? I can feel a strong aura of newborn Black Water from you, especially in the heart area¡­¡± The moment the words fell, whoosh! Yi Chen¡¯s chest was torn open by the First Gentleman¡¯s decrepit arm grown from his shoulder blade, the process too fast to see, exposing the heart that had only recently been reconstructed. Examining the heart covered with rooting plant tendrils, the First Gentleman asked again: ¡°The heart you supposedly lack couldn¡¯t have been reconstructed by the official Doctor, could it?¡± At the crucial moment, a black meatball emerged, its mouth spouting new strands of flesh, ¡°It¡¯s a heart reconstructed jointly with William¡¯s plant abilities. As we killed the malformed Holy Embryo, I gained a certain ability of rebirth by consuming its eyes.¡± The First Gentleman assessed the black creature and identified it as a product of the Organization¡¯s managed graveyard. Nodding slightly, The First Gentleman¡¯s gaze penetrated every part of Yi Chen¡¯s body, every corner, for a thorough inspection. No anomalies were found, nor any trace of an umbilical cord. (Before the event assessment and receipt of awards, Qian Bosen cautiously left Yi Chen¡¯s umbilical cord relic in a fleshy safety deposit box in the dormitory, which proved prudent.) The examination ended, the First Gentleman extended his right arm, touched the heart wound, and instantly healed it as if nothing had happened. He also gave Yi Chen a piece of ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± measuring 15cm¡Á15cm, more than what was given during the newcomer assessment. ¡°An extra gift, as compensation for injuring your body¡­ After all, that being who controls Black Water Life is extremely dangerous and highly skilled in enslaving the Physical. I look forward to seeing you perform even better in the future.¡± ¡°Thank you for your grace.¡± Yi Chen bowed in gratitude, stabilized his heartbeat to a normal rate with a similar method, then descended from the Altar and left with the professor and supervisor. He didn¡¯t know if it was his imagination, but in that brief contact, Yi Chen distinctly felt that the First Gentleman¡¯s condition was significantly worse than at their last meeting, his appearance noticeably aged, even seeming to have aged five, perhaps more than ten years. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 125: The Essence of Skin Chapter 126: Chapter 125: The Essence of Skin Crossing the Black Bridge and fully leaving the jurisdiction of the Divine Skin Mansion, Manager Aiji wanted to say something, but after glancing at Qian Bosen, he swallowed the words in his mouth, patted Yi Chen heavily on the shoulder, adjusted the tilt of his top hat, and returned alone to the Gentleman Hall. Qian Bosen then led Yi Chen to a nearby elevator, heading to the lower street district, naturally aiming for the tailor shop. ¡°Professor, are these skins to be used for upgrading clothes?¡± ¡°Since you already have a suitable pair of Casting Gloves, there¡¯s no need to create fabric items. You haven¡¯t upgraded your clothes since you entered the city, which involves adding extra Gentleman¡¯s Skin to increase the ¡®Skin Content¡¯ of the clothing. Moreover, your clothes were severely damaged in this incident and require some skin for complete repair.¡± Since the topic came up, Yi Chen took the opportunity to ask Professor Qian Bosen some questions about ¡®clothing.¡¯ ¡°I read about ¡®gentleman¡¯s clothes¡¯ in some books. It mentioned a very important point¡ª[Skin Content]. Gentlemen accepted by the organization can perform various tasks to earn extra ¡®Gentlemen¡¯s Skin¡¯ as a reward, and most people use it to complete their attire, gradually increasing the [Skin Content] between garments to its maximum. Once the maximum is reached, tailors will refuse to add any more skin. What happens if it exceeds this so-called maximum Skin Content? That point wasn¡¯t mentioned in the books.¡± ¡°It leads to loss of control, allowing the clothing to develop an autonomous consciousness beyond individual control, eventually engulfing the gentleman, a process also known as [Skin Stripping]. In the early days, Zion experienced such incidents due to unfamiliarity with the use of skin.¡¯ One well-known example is the ¡®Charles family incident¡¯ that occurred 75 years ago, where the eldest son of the family, Charles Fudier, became obsessed with the power provided by the Gentleman¡¯s Skin, and forcibly inserted an excessive amount of skin into his garments via unconventional methods. This resulted in his entire family being stripped of their skin overnight, and when the nearby patrol team noticed abnormalities and broke into the family¡¯s house, they found bodies stripped of skin hanging everywhere, and a ¡®clothing body¡¯ that had devoured the entire family¡¯s skins. Fortunately, a nearby high-ranked gentleman and a doctor jointly suppressed it, managed to subdue the clothing body, disassembled it back into Gentleman¡¯s Skin, and quelled the incident.¡± Yi Chen had always been skeptical about ¡®Gentlemen¡¯s Skin,¡¯ wondering what exactly these life-connected and ancient system-linked materials were. ¡°Clothing body? Could it be that the essence of the Gentleman¡¯s Skin is some kind of pathogen?¡± ¡°To be precise, it should be called ¡®controllable pathogen¡¯ or ¡®beneficial pathogen.¡¯ This pathogen can be controlled and utilized by us humans, greatly increasing our survival rate, allowing human civilization to continue in such a world. The development of the organization over hundreds of years proves the stability and controllability of the Gentleman¡¯s Skin.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Yi Chen nodded thoughtfully, then continued to inquire, ¡°So, does the existence of the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ underground signify [control over the skin]?¡± Professor Qian Bosen answered without hesitation, ¡°Connection, control, and production. His contribution is selfless, great, and incomparable¡­ It is precisely because of such great beings willing to dedicate themselves that the organization and human civilization can continue to develop and prosper.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yi Chen wasn¡¯t too surprised, or rather, he had expected as much, and simply acknowledged with a sound. To him, Gentleman¡¯s Skin was like probiotics in the human body, symbiotically living with humans, guarding against invasive pathogens that can induce various diseases. ¡°Professor, besides the skin directly taken from the ¡®First Gentleman,¡¯ where do those ordinary Gentleman¡¯s Skin come from, as well as those carrying the ancient aura?¡± ¡°With your observational skills, you must have discovered something in the deep layers of the mansion? The iron chains used to bind the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ are covered with his derivative skins; these skins continue to grow and spread, transmitting through the chains to the surface, eventually reaching Divine Skin Mansion. Through special processing by the clergy, these derivative skins are clipped, categorized, and collected. Different derivative skins carry different amounts of ancient aura. If the skin of the First Gentleman is considered to have 100% content, these derivative skins will not exceed 50%.¡± Skin content of 30% to 50% is defined as skin carrying the aura of the old world. Skin content of 15% to 30% is defined as the most ordinary Gentleman¡¯s Skin. Skin with less than 15% content performs very poorly and is often packaged and sent to Organization-affiliated tailor shops to be used as ¡°scraps.¡± Yi Chen nodded and then steered the conversation back to clothing: ¡°I see! Another question, since the ¡®maximum skin content¡¯ of gentleman¡¯s clothes varies from person to person. Could there possibly exist a powerful human who can completely control the Skin, perfectly adapt to the Gentleman¡¯s Skin, and wear clothes with 100% skin content¡­ Wait, no!¡± At this point, Yi Chen suddenly realized something, Qian Bosen, smiling, took over the conversation, ¡°Indeed, such a human exists¡­ and that is the First Gentleman himself.¡± By this time, Yi Chen¡¯s expression had changed, He stared at the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ enclosed in the black box, felt the texture of the skin in the Clothing Room, and recalling the state of the First Gentleman, he couldn¡¯t help but shudder. ¡°If I keep using the First Gentleman¡¯s Skin to supplement the clothing, and one day reach 100% content and I can fully control it, then¡­¡± At this point, Qian Bosen stopped. ¡°I was just discussing this issue privately with manager Aiji, you might really have this potential. You must have felt it too, this time your walk in the Divine Skin Mansion attracted more scrutiny and spying than last time; the Clergy¡¯s attention on you has noticeably increased. And the First Gentleman giving you a 15¡Á15cm patch of skin wasn¡¯t because he felt sorry for the damage to your body, but because you were chosen.¡± Such words made Yi Chen stunned, his skin tingled and goosebumps covered his body. Qian Bosen gently patted his shoulder, comforting: ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it just means you were ¡®selected¡¯ as a candidate. There are at least ten gentlemen in all of Zion who have been chosen¡­ Most of them have already surpassed the Limit of Man; if a choice has to be made, they are the primary considerations. Moreover, if it really comes to that and you are confirmed by the Divine Skin Mansion as the best candidate, I, as your first tutor, will do everything in my power to ensure your ¡®right of choice.¡¯ If you do not wish to become the First Gentleman, I can assure you a way out of Zion. So don¡¯t worry too much about the issue with the skin, it shouldn¡¯t affect your personal development¡­ Make full use of the resources at hand, follow the most suitable path forward, and reach higher levels. At this stage, increasing your skin content will only benefit you, and when it reaches its maximum, you might even be able to awaken the ancient powers within it to achieve a deeper combination and greatly improve your disease curing efficiency.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor Qian Bosen.¡± Nameless Tailor Shop When the two returned to the doorway of the Clothing Room, Mr. Ivan was surprisingly at work. After about an hour of waiting, a familiar figure emerged. ¡°William, what a coincidence!¡± It was Jin, her clothes completely ruined in the church incident and currently she had Mr. Ivan make the same patterned shirt. ¡°Jin, the skin in your clothes is?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t a piece issued for the mission? Then, from the Holy Fetus Meat where you minced, many skins from the missing squad were also extracted; isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Jin had also noticed the black box in Yi Chen¡¯s hands, stepped closer to him, and whispered, ¡°Are you sure about using such a large piece of skin to increase your skin content? It¡¯s a bit risky.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing Yi Chen¡¯s resolute expression, Jin didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Very confident, huh~ I¡¯m looking forward to it too, wanting to see the reaction of those in charge of the skin in Zion when you fully control this Skin¡­ Go make your clothes, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 126 New Outfit Chapter 127: Chapter 126 New Outfit ¡°` [Clothing Room] Mr. Ivan first cut out 10% of the raw material for clothing repair, and used the remaining materials to increase the ¡°Skin Content.¡± He was also very surprised that the First Gentleman would offer such a large piece of skin. However, since Qian Bosen didn¡¯t say much, as a tailor, his job was simply to do his work well. The process was not complicated; one only needed to attach the processed ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± to the corresponding parts of the clothing, and the skin would merge with the clothing on its own. Before the merging, Ivan raised several questions about the clothing. ¡°Do you feel any discomfort in the clothing during your daily life or while expelling illness, or do you think there is anything that needs to be improved from your own sensations?¡± ¡°No problems at all.¡± ¡°Hmm, your combat style hasn¡¯t been completely settled yet, so it¡¯s not too late to make detailed changes later.¡± The completion of the clothing took half an hour. The gentleman¡¯s clothes on the mannequin looked no different on the outside, but after experiencing the Twilight Clinic and the Church incident, Yi Chen, having been in contact with Old World elements several times, could clearly feel a significant increase in the Old World essence being emitted from the clothing, It felt more lively overall, more like some kind of living creature. Gazing at the clothing, he stepped slowly closer, unbuttoned it, and always felt as if there was a gaping abyss inside the clothing, ready to envelop and digest his body. Yi Chen did not hesitate and promptly wore the gentleman¡¯s clothes to experience the changes for himself. The instant the fabric touched the skin, the connection at the muscular and neural levels also began synchronously, As Yi Chen buttoned up the shirt, donned the waistcoat, and draped the coat over himself, the neural connections deepened continuously. When he fastened the last button on his suit, the neural connection peaked, bringing an indescribably comfortable sense of near-perfect fit. Different from the previous sensations of fabric against skin, this felt more like skin against skin. It was like a group of people, who had always lived in a sterile environment, were to cleanse their entire bodies with a natural cleansing agent and then hug and squeeze together, experiencing a wondrous feeling. Meanwhile, a series of images flashed through Yi Chen¡¯s mind, fragmented and blurry, but he could generally make out that the images presented a huge space filled with various hanging skins, each piece alive and being transported somewhere through a delivery system. They were undergoing some special skin-grafting craft. The flashing images disappeared quickly, allowing for little information to be gathered. ¡°It should be similar to the Fish Scale Abyss, as well as the muddy worlds with hanging sheep heads. These scenes might be related to the Origin of Skin.¡± After a brief adjustment period came a sense of well-being. Yi Chen, wrapped in the clothing, even felt he could easily fall asleep standing, as the clothes would help support his body. In combat, the clothes¡¯ self-adaptation would be even more rapid, coordinating with his body to perform smoother, difficult maneuvers, providing more effective defense, damping, and so on. After inspecting every part of the body, Mr. Ivan asked softly: ¡°The ¡®Skin Content¡¯ now exceeds 20%. Do you feel any mental discomfort? Or do you feel itching, stinging on the skin, or hear unsettling conscious whispers?¡± ¡°Not at all, I just saw some ancient images when putting on the clothes.¡± ¡°Your adaptability is better than I imagined. It¡¯s normal to see images, as these skins are not products of our era.¡± Taking advantage of the time Mr. Ivan was checking the fit of the clothing, Yi Chen asked: ¡°A product of the Old World? I haven¡¯t read about an ¡®Old World¡¯ in the existing books¡­ Does ¡®Old World¡¯ refer to some ancient era, or is it a real space in a region?¡± ¡°Do you, a new gentleman, want the answer to this question? It¡¯s no problem to tell you¡ª the ¡®Old World¡¯ does indeed exist, parallel to our world.¡± ¡°Parallel existence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. In the Grey Zone, there might be ¡®Thresholds¡¯ leading to the Old World¡­ the deeper the Grey Zone, the more numerous and higher the level of these thresholds, with some even being called ¡®Abysses.¡¯ If you were to venture into one carelessly now, you would face certain death. Consider this question after you¡¯ve broken through the ¡®Limit of Man.''¡± ¡°` Yi Chen noted a particular point in the conversation and immediately asked a follow-up question: ¡°If there are channels in the Grey Zone that connect to the old world, and if the spread of the Pathological cannot be contained, with the entire world engulfed by the Grey Zone and the severity constantly deepening, increasing the number of channels¡­¡± Ivan had just finished his examination, folded the chest cloth neatly, and gave Yi Chen¡¯s chest a firm pat. ¡°Exactly, if that time comes, the old world will completely replace our current world¡­ All traces of our existence, everything, will be erased.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± When he walked out of the Clothing Room, Professor Qian Bosen also immediately observed Yi Chen¡¯s entire body. After confirming that he could easily adapt to the current Skin Content of the clothing, he was no longer worried. He made an appointment with his old friend Ivan right away, planning to go to some neighboring unmarked shops for some strenuous entertainment. Naturally, Jin, who was left with Yi Chen, also walked together, Jin tapped Yi Chen¡¯s clothes up and down, her expression under the colorful mask full of repulsion. ¡°This feels so sticky. Are you really comfortable wearing this kind of clothing?¡± ¡°Very comfortable, there¡¯s no discomfort at all,¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t really want to continue to talk about Skin, and immediately changed the subject, ¡°Jin, where¡¯s your weapon? And what materials did you choose from the Gentleman¡¯s Treasure Vault?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret! You¡¯ll know once my weapon is made¡­ Our efficiency will definitely be much higher next time we go out to kill enemies. But since it¡¯s quite a complex craft, even a Cesimani craftsman will need more than half a month. I have no choice but to stay in the city and play for the time being¡­¡± As he said this, Jin quickly stepped in front of Yi Chen, puffing out his chest against Yi Chen¡¯s. The mask was almost touching Yi Chen¡¯s face, ¡°Why don¡¯t you move in and live with me? We could also explore the secrets of the flesh together. Plus, you could join me in going to Cesimani for training and actual combat. This would maximize the acceleration of our growth~¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my courses at the academy yet and can¡¯t apply to leave. Moreover, Instructor Beili said she can¡¯t guide someone with a special body like mine,¡± Yi Chen steered the conversation away again, ¡°By the way, Jin! Are you interested in checking on the recent situation of a friend of mine? He¡¯s the one I told you about before, the teammate who went to the Twilight Clinic with me to slay the Pathological Gentleman.¡± ¡°An old teammate? Sure, take me to see him.¡± The place Yi Chen wanted to go was the Mariano family estate where Edmund resided. Using the reward from the mission, he intended to pay off the debt of the crow¡¯s coal oil lamp in full. Of course, the main reason was to see how Edmund¡¯s arm was recovering. Given that he now had the umbilical cord and, with the aid of ¡°Little Grape,¡± could attempt special effective treatment, plus with Jin, the ¡°Body Weapon Master,¡± they might be able to completely solve the arm problem. By asking patrolling gentlemen, they easily learned the location of the Mariano family estate, where numerous family estates rooted in Zion are concentrated. As soon as you see large estates arranged at equal intervals, you know you¡¯ve found the right place. The great gate of the Edmund family¡¯s estate was imbued with a multitude of firearms and Feather elements, The moment they approached the gate, a tail-coated butler proactively came forward to warmly welcome them. ¡°You must be Mr. William Behrens, right? I often hear Master Edmund speaking of you, and I¡¯m very grateful for your help with the master in the ¡®secret medicine incident.¡¯ ¡°Ah? It¡¯s just mutual support among teammates, nothing much.¡± This made Yi Chen somewhat embarrassed; he had never been to Edmund¡¯s family estate before and didn¡¯t expect that they would already recognize him. ¡°Is there something you wanted, Mr. William?¡± ¡°I came to see how Edmund¡¯s arm is recovering.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for your concern. The master¡¯s arm is no longer a problem, and it has undergone significant changes compared to before¡­ The old master even said that the experience of losing his arm was actually an opportunity for the master¡¯s transformation. However, the master hasn¡¯t been home recently.¡± ¡°Not at home? It seems he hasn¡¯t been at the academy either¡­¡± A few days ago, Yi Chen had proactively checked Edmund¡¯s dormitory at the academy, but the dormitory supervisor told him that he hadn¡¯t been at the school recently. ¡°An incident occurred at one of the weapon factories related to the family, and it was classified as a gentleman incident. The fully recovered master took on the matter the day before yesterday and personally went to handle it.¡± ¡°A Pathological incident?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not clear about the specifics, but it¡¯s very likely related to the Pathological.¡± ¡°Where is it? We might be able to help.¡± Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 127 Iron Disease Chapter 128: Chapter 127 Iron Disease [Mariano family] Beyond the main residence of the Zion family, nearly all the medium and large cities in the Fourth Continent possess buildings or factories owned by the Mariano family, with their firearm industry being the main pillar of the family¡¯s enterprise. Firearms produced by Mariano are recognized by the organization, each piece being of such high quality that it commands a hefty price, Each year, the family is also required to hand over a certain quantity of firearms that meet quality standards to the organization, in exchange for the family¡¯s private residence in Zion and the privilege of conducting business affairs. To ensure the firearms industry operates normally in a Pathological world, each gun factory is supervised by an internal family gentleman, and there are also many prospective gentlemen patrolling all day long, adept in the art of gunnery. Three days ago, An early factory built in Wendell Town, which was about to be decommissioned, encountered a severe problem. Wendell Town was once a small town that relied on its mines, and in its early stages of development, due to various material considerations, the Mariano family built one of their early factories here. It still produces some classic firearms, which are collected by gun enthusiasts at high prices, but most of the assembly lines in the factory have ceased operation. As the mines were exhausted a year ago, the town swiftly declined, and the family also decided to shut down this old factory, which had already realized its value. Just one week before the closure, an anomaly occurred within the factory premises, leaving ordinary family personnel in the town and even a temporary resident gentleman in Wendell Town murdered. By chance, a coachman happened to pass by the town and immediately brought the situation back to Zion. Soon a task force from the Gentleman Hall arrived to investigate and categorize the situation, quickly shaping it into a mission event and taking it back to the hall for novice gentlemen to handle. Because the incident was directly related to a Mariano factory, the staff of the Gentleman Hall also personally visited the family residence to notify them of the matter. Edmund, who had gained insight during the process of his arm being severed and whose body had recovered, volunteered to deal with the matter, and even called upon his old companion, the Northern Realm giant¡ªDagbert. Juliana, due to health issues, did not participate. At the time, Yi Chen was in the middle of a mission assessment and was not called by Edmund either. Beyond Edmund¡¯s two-man team, there was another Gentleman Team involved in collaboration, a cooperative task. According to the task force¡¯s inspection, the number of Patients within Wendell Town had exceeded double digits, and the source of death, injury, and infection in the town was suspected to be a Severe Patient. ¡­ [Wendell Town] Before fully entering the town, one could smell a thick odor¡ªa combination of crude oil, industrial waste, heavy metals, and other by-products. If one opened their mouth, they could even taste it. The entire town was shrouded in thick fog, with what appeared to be coal ash black substances floating around. Seventy percent of the town¡¯s structures are factory-related, with variously sized chimneys thrusting up all over the place, all products of the previous era, most of them now abandoned. As of now, the entire town was devoid of people. Strewn across the streets were some bizarrely-shaped corpses, All humanoid yet not wholly human, unified by one feature: their stiff, livor-mortis-stricken Physical forms intermingled with a vast amount of metal, some even developing firing structures like gun barrels. The gun barrel might be on a finger, in an Eye, hidden in the mouth, or even in more special areas. This illness, related to contemporary firearm craftsmanship, did not form its own major category but was instead a subtype of ¡°Iron Disease.¡± It was also called ¡°Iron Disease ¨C Firearms Variant.¡± In the early stages of Infection, an individual would exhibit an extreme affinity for iron-containing substances (or other metallic elements), clandestinely consuming metal to satisfy their eating cravings and also wearing various metal items¡ªalways more, the better. In the middle and later stages of Infection, the individual¡¯s skin would show a clear iron-like appearance, and gun barrel structures would start developing. When they became a Patient, the basic form was already present, capable of unleashing firepower at will, replenishing bullets by swallowing and absorbing metal. These Patients were extremely dangerous; their iron bodies meant superior defense, requiring one to break through their iron Skin Surface to damage the core within. Besides the threat of firearm discharge, they could also draw out the iron from human Blood through physical contact, causing rapid Death. ¡­ However, the two Gentleman Teams that arrived here had already killed all the Infected and Patients in the streets of the town. Only the Origin of weapon infection¡ªthe Mariano factory¡ªawaited final treatment. Although it was quite old and one of the first factories to be established, its scale was not small at all. Thanks to the ever-growing firearms business, the factory had undergone several expansions. It was nightfall by the time. The two teams had been inside for over three hours, and more than ten minutes had passed since the last gunshot, with no movement or anyone leaving the factory during this time. The situation inside was worse than expected. For some reason, the two teams were forced to separate, hiding in different rooms. They dared not make any rash moves before they could figure out a ¡°Breakthrough¡± strategy, and both teams had members with varying degrees of injuries. [Employee Rest Room-03] Blond Edmund and Dagbert were hiding here, with the door sealed by some kind of time-limited Sealing Talisman Paper. Dagbert lay flat on the employee desk. Even under the protection of his gentleman¡¯s clothes, his sturdy and massive body was still wounded by bullets. What¡¯s worse, the bullets remaining inside his body were consuming his flesh over time, leading it towards death. Only bullet holes no larger than a pinky finger were left on the surface of the skin, and the bullets that entered the body were precisely lodged between the organs and major blood vessels, continuously absorbing the iron elements within.Upd@te by n0vgo .c0 Seven minutes had passed since Dagbert was struck by the bullets, which had grown to 1.5 times their original size by absorbing the iron elements. If it were an Ordinary person, they would have probably died long ago, but Dagbert hung on by relying on his special physique and injected Medicine, and now he had to go through surgery at all costs to remove these bullets from his body. As for Edmund, although hit by only one bullet, he was still not in good shape. He leaned against the corner of the wall, directly used a red-hot sword blade to cut open his abdomen, and forcefully removed the bullets lodged in his flesh and blood. After a simple bandage, he immediately went to Dagbert¡¯s side. The two men looked at each other, nodded slightly, with no verbal communication. Edmund immediately placed the blade of his sword under Dagbert¡¯s chest, ready to cut him open and forcibly remove the bullets. Crack! A noise came from the window. Edmund turned his head to look and saw a thick branch extending from the outside, followed by something crawling along the branch until a face too familiar to Edmund appeared against the window. Creak, creak~ Silently dismantling the window frame by damaging the corners with thin and soft branches. Yi Chen effortlessly climbed into the room along the plant, and another figure in floral attire followed and jumped in. ¡°William!¡± Just when Edmund was surprised to see Yi Chen appear here, the latter had already swiftly moved to Dagbert¡¯s side, two warm and vibrant palms pressed near the bullet holes, with bullets that were deformed and swollen being successively removed by the plant¡¯s roots. Not only that, Dagbert could feel a different kind of vitality being infused into his body through the plant, like streams of new life flowing within, creating new blood to quickly replace the iron-stripped waste blood and expelling it from the body. It had only been a little over two months since they last saw each other, and Dagbert lying on the table felt that this former team member before his eyes seemed to have reached a higher level, even looking somewhat unfamiliar. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 128 Sick Object (ill-substance) Chapter 129: Chapter 128 Sick Object (ill-substance) [Wendell Town]is only a three-hour drive from Zion. After obtaining partial information from the butler, Yi Chen had planned to wait for Edmund¡¯s return to discuss further, as his arm had healed, leaving only the issue of repayment. This was an event mission recognized by the organization, so it shouldn¡¯t pose too great a problem. However, When Jin heard that the incident might be related to firearms, a modern invention, he sensed danger and interest and spontaneously requested to go as a supporter of ¡°Cesimani.¡± Since he had always been saying ¡°next time for sure¡± lately, and considering the site wasn¡¯t very far, he agreed to respond. The two quickly rented a speed-type carriage and rushed to their destination. Upon arrival in the town and seeing patients whose bodies had ominously morphed into gun-like structures, Jin¡¯s excitement peaked. Disguised by their clothing and concealed by the night, they silently approached the weapons factory. Through extending plants carrying small grapes, they observed various rooms and quickly located the position of Edmund and another individual. ¡­ [Employee Rest Room-03] The iron door was sealed, with no sound coming from outside. Dagbert was already able to move normally, currently trying to maneuver his arm to swing his great sword. Meanwhile, Jin leisurely leaned against the door, fiddling with some meat pellets whose origin was unknown, feeding them to Xiaopei on his shoulder. Yi Chen was attending to Edmund¡¯s wounds in his waist and abdomen, where a substantial amount of new flesh had grown and suppressed the pain. ¡°Edmund, what kind of patient is hidden in this factory to have injured you so severely? But it¡¯s odd, there¡¯s no chase or search for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s confirmed, it¡¯s a quite special and rare Severe Patient, or rather a ¡®Sick Object¡¯.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Yi Chen widened his eyes at this term, even Jin paused his feeding. Sick Object, a term Yi Chen had come across in books, literally meant diseased material, broadly referring to unconscious materials imbued with pathological contamination. Such unconscious materials needed to be divided into two types: 1. Unconscious organic materials such as plants, fungi, etc. 2. Inorganic materials such as rocks, steel, water, etc. Extensive research had shown that the closer to humans, the greater the likelihood of being infected and impacted by pathology, and vice versa. Hence, especially with inorganic materials, the probability of being affected by pathology is very low, and even if they are invaded by pathology, they usually do not undergo significant changes. Yet in certain extreme, special, or accidental situations, inorganic materials may have a small chance of undergoing complete pathologization, Once it overcomes the infection phase, it will become an existence equivalent to a Patient, which is what a ¡®Sick Object¡¯ is. Unlike Patients, since inorganic materials inherently lack consciousness, their awareness is only born at the moment they become ¡®Sick Objects,¡¯ beginning to recognize and adapt to the current world. Therefore, the nature of the ¡®Sick Object¡¯ itself determines whether they are dangerous or harmful to the world. For example, a Sick Object that was a stone may remain neutral, you could walk past it or even sit on its head without any reaction. Unless you take a miner¡¯s pick to its body, which may cause emotional turmoil, and it would attack you out of a defensive instinct. However, For modern industrial products defined by war and slaughter like firearms, once transformed into Sick Objects, the consciousness that births also associates with war and slaughter. They would indiscriminately kill other organisms, whether Patients or non-Patients, deriving satisfaction from the slaughter, gaining an understanding of the world, and improving themselves. Another point needs stressing, There is a fundamental difference between ¡®Non-Normality Patients¡¯ and ¡®Sick Objects¡¯, The former can only be fully formed in severely pathologized environments or Gray Domains following human activity, remnants of corpses, or even through subjective creation by Open Source Patients. Although their bodies contain inorganic materials, they possess human body shapes, have a higher human composition, and sustain sound human consciousness and thought patterns. For example, the doctors and nurses of the Twilight Clinic, who were largely designed by Moon Scar herself, formed in conjunction with moonlight baths and the effects of pathologization. Thus, it was categorized among the ¡°patients.¡± The Sick Objects, in terms of formation difficulty and material content, are a step higher; they can be described as ¡®naturally occurring¡¯ pathological products, extremely rare and difficult to deal with. Moreover, their value far exceeds that of the patients; among gentleman, they are even referred to as ¡®dangerous treasures¡¯. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s surprising that a Sick Object with a gun as its essence was born here, and the degree of pathologization has reached severe~ Luckily, listening to Ting Jin¡¯s persuasion to come support you all, otherwise it would have been really dangerous. What is the opponent¡¯s shape, attack patterns, and infection mode? Have you figured it out yet?¡± Edmund, however, lit a cigarette, and said somewhat helplessly: ¡°So far, we and another team have still not confirmed the ¡®true form¡¯ of the Sick Object. We only know it conceals itself between factories, rapidly transferring to any ordinary firearm, and shooting ¡®bullets¡¯ at us. I have even been forced to throw away the pistol I carried with me.¡± The classic sidearm that should have been attached to Edmund¡¯s waist was already gone. ¡°The essence can freely transfer to any firearm¡­ This is really restrictive for you, no wonder it pushed both your teams into a dangerous situation. By the way, is there anything particular about the bullets it fires?¡± ¡°Extremely accurate, and they change trajectory mid-flight. The bullets that Dagbert could originally block with his great sword can change trajectory at the last moment before touching the sword, curving around the great sword to hit the flesh. As long as one is within its range, it¡¯s nearly impossible to dodge. Once hit, the bullet will embed in the flesh, rapidly drawing the iron elements from the blood, leading to an individual¡¯s death by hypoxia. After the individual dies, the bullet transforms into a ¡®Pathogen,¡¯ enslaving the corpse to become an infected; the body actively consumes metal to increase its iron content and develop a gun barrel structure. Just as you saw on the way here, all are residents turned to living corpses by getting shot. This thing inherits the essence of firearms, killing repeatedly to gain strength¡­ If it leaves here, a small town or even a city could swiftly be slaughtered. It can also materialize the essence of firearms as ¡®Open Source¡¯.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ auto-aiming, essence transfer, and bullet infection~ and it¡¯s situated in such a gun factory, holding a complete geographical advantage, what a nuisance. Jin, do you have any thoughts?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very good at dealing with ¡®non-blood-and-flesh¡¯ things. However, this kind of Sick Object, with its innate gunpowder, might be susceptible to my Red Lotus. Wait for me a moment, I¡¯m going out to test just how accurate this ¡®auto-aim¡¯ really is.¡± Jin directly tore off the Sealing Talisman Paper from the iron door and walked out of the room with great swagger. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s very dangerous¡­¡± Edmund wanted to stop her, but was interrupted by Yi Chen. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let her go.¡± About ten seconds passed, and three consecutive gunshots were heard outside, accompanied by the sound of a chicken clucking. Jin returned to the room quickly, with little Pei on her shoulder in a startled fluffed-up state. ¡°Phew! It was indeed dangerous, one of the bullets nearly grazed past my pant leg, almost hitting me¡­ I tried to catch the bullet but couldn¡¯t succeed. Just like this guy said, guns in different positions all fired at me. But they didn¡¯t fire simultaneously, instead, there was a certain time interval~ otherwise, I really couldn¡¯t have dodged. William, I can¡¯t resolve this incident alone, shall we tackle it together? It will be much easier for me with someone else drawing the fire.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± After this discussion, Edmund and Dagbert looked at this rainbow-masked gentleman with an incredulous expression, recognizing him perhaps as an assessment candidate from the same batch, but had not seen him afterward. ¡°William, who is this exactly¡­?¡± ¡°Jin Almeda, my teammate from the last mission, from Cesimani~ Moreover, I have thought of a way to breakthrough now.¡± Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 129: Cleaning Firearms Chapter 130: Chapter 129: Cleaning Firearms Yi Chen¡¯s plan was simple: destroy all the firearms in the factory, and once only one gun was left, it would indicate the main body of the ¡°Severe Disease Object.¡± Edmund immediately pointed out the difficulty of this plan. ¡°Although this factory was about to be abandoned, the amount of firearms was not large, but there were still nearly a hundred of them. The most dangerous part was undoubtedly the Exhibition Area, where more than thirty classic firearms were displayed simultaneously. The moment one entered, bullets could come from all directions. Usually, metal firearms needed to be destroyed in close combat. Any flying tools could be shot down by bullets en route, making it difficult to cause damage. The closer one got to the firearms, the greater the risk of being shot,¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ are there the most guns in the Exhibition Area? If so, we¡¯ll deal with that area last and clear the firearms in other areas first. I¡¯ll be responsible for drawing attention while Jin takes care of the destruction. Edmund, you and Dagbert should act according to the situation. After all, your attribute is suppressed, and Dagbert¡¯s body has just recovered.¡± ¡°Drawing attention?¡± Edmund didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning. In his view, it should be Jin, the highly coordinated gentleman, who should attract the gunfire, dodging the incoming bullets as much as possible, while the others destroyed the firearms. Moreover, Jin wasn¡¯t carrying any weapons at all, which raised another issue of how he would destroy the firearms. Yi Chen didn¡¯t explain much; he just conveyed through eye contact to make Edmund trust him. He stood up and walked towards the door, ¡°Jin, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Hurry up, I can¡¯t wait to deal with this rare ¡®Severe Disease Object,¡¯ strange and peculiar things can effectively enhance my combat experience.¡± If this situation had arisen before his encounters with the New Church and the village, Yi Chen would not have had such confidence. But now it was different, If Edmund, as a Gun Swordsman, was suppressed by this kind of disease object that could control firearms, then the ¡®methods¡¯ Yi Chen currently possessed were exactly suited to counteract this firearm disease object, Just before stepping out of the door, Yi Chen tried to convey his ¡°Thought¡± to his gentleman¡¯s clothes, the close adherence of skin to skin allowing the transmission of these neural signals. The clothing, with a Skin Content as high as 20%, immediately sensed Yi Chen¡¯s thought, Hiss~ Threads emitting an ancient aura emerged from the collar, swiftly weaving into a pitch-dark hood, almost covering the entire face above the mouth. The only exposed mouth was also covered by a mask, crafted from the threads and tough plants together. About 90% of the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± was concentrated in the head area to ensure bullets could not damage the head. The visual observation was entirely left to Grape. Similarly, every vital organ inside Yi Chen¡¯s body was enveloped by a thick weave of plants, The plants, which had evolved from absorbing the Village Chief¡¯s heart, had a certain hardening ability to ensure that bullets that penetrated the body did not harm major organs. Having prepared all this, Yi Chen took a deep breath and pushed open the cold iron door in front of him. Outside the door was the open corridor of the factory¡¯s second floor. He vaulted smoothly over the banister with one hand and deliberately landed in the most dangerous area, the center of the workshop. Grape¡¯s eyes rapidly scanned the surroundings, totaling seven firearms distributed in different areas of the abandoned workshop, One of them, a single-barreled shotgun hanging on the wall as decoration, had locked onto Yi Chen¡¯s back, adjusting its muzzle¡­ Bang! A bullet, as if alive, shot straight at him. Snapping! It accurately and without deviation hit his back, lodged between the flesh and blood. Just as the bullet was prepared to absorb the iron element, crunch~ a mass of plants lurking inside the body entangled the bullet and expelled it from the body instantly. Ding! The crisp sound of the bullet hitting the ground signaled the danger was eliminated. Meanwhile, as the bullet wound in the flesh healed under the wriggling of the umbilical cord and the coordination of the plants, it visibly shrunk and was covered by multiple layers of plant net. Suddenly, Bang! Bang! Bang! Successive gunshots came from different directions, one of the bullets aimed at the head, embedded deeply into the material of the hood, but failed to penetrate. The remaining bullets entered Yi Chen¡¯s body one after another, and within less than a second, these bullets were pushed out of his body by the plants, not even having enough time to absorb the iron. As the gunfire continued, crackle and pop~ Blood-stained bullets fell like raindrops all around him. Yi Chen even seemed to enjoy it, wanting to spread his arms wide to express the refreshing sensation the ¡°bullet massage¡± brought him. This was so-called attribute suppression. Once Yi Chen found out that bullets were deliberately retained inside the body, he judged that their power was not great. Though he enjoyed it, Yi Chen was actively observing and analyzing, utilizing the trait of recognizing Ancient Living Text, allowing Yi Chen to successfully read the true name of the firearm disease object. [Gun Master ¨C Amis Tiller (Severe Disease Object)] The squirming typography finally took on the appearance of steel, cold and extremely dangerous. Such names would quickly switch between different firearms, also helping Yi Chen make an effective inference. ¡°This guy can only control one gun at a time to fire. Although the transfer is fast, there is still a firing interval, about 0.3s~0.5s. This timing is crucial; Jin will definitely be able to grasp it,¡± he thought. While Yi Chen was thinking, a red figure leapt down from the Second Floor, perfectly capturing the timing difference of the shot, and touched the shotgun hanging on the wall for display. A string of red threads spread along the body of the gun, quickly reaching the gunpowder within the bullets! Paired with the Red Lotus¡¯s amplification of explosive effects, Boom! The red blaze burst into light in the workshop, completely shattering the firearm. Taking advantage of the dust created by the explosion, Jin disappeared again, quickly appearing near another gun¡­ touching and detonating it! Just like that, all the firearms within the workshop were blown up. Edmund and Dagbert leaned against the Second Floor corridor, watching the unbelievable Red Lotus explosion and Yi Chen¡¯s so-called drawing of fire, hardly able to imagine that the two were still categorized as human. ¡°Has William¡¯s plant illness evolved? How can his self-healing be so strong¡­ and that gentleman in a mask, what¡¯s with his terrifying speed and explosive power?¡± ¡°Touch-and-explode must be some kind of rare pathological trait, right? In our batch, besides William, there are actually such characters.¡± Similarly, as the loud explosion resonated in the workshop, another Gentleman Team hiding in a storeroom also made themselves known. Among them, two were injured and not in good shape. When they learned that Yi Chen and Jin had intervened in the event under the guise of ¡®Cesimani,¡¯ they expressed gratitude and were willing to assist fully. They continued to use this tactic to clear firearms within the factory, occasionally encountering situations where they ceased firing at Yi Chen, trying to lock on Jin and other gentlemen instead. However, once the guns were not aimed at Yi Chen, he would burst forth with terrifying speed, instantly dismembering the nearest firearm with an axe. Gradually, as most of the firearms in the factory were cleared, the Exhibition Area that Yi Chen deliberately left to the last began to stir. The thirty and more firearms stored there started to quiver. All the firearms seemed attracted, beginning to converge toward the center to form a whole, an aggregation capable of blasting Yi Chen¡¯s body to bits. All barrels were aimed at the only entrance and exit of the Exhibition Area, faintly, the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard; only one person was coming this way. Click¡ªthe iron door was shoved open! Bullets visibly poured out in an instant, turning the area behind the door into a beehive, but in reality, hitting no living target; there was no one at the doorway at all. When the shooting ended, a multicolored sleeve of an arm suddenly stretched out from the side of the door, holding something, and threw it violently inside. Ten compressed cubes of meat accurately scattered around the guns, and quickly overflowed with red upon hitting the ground. Even though the Gun Master felt threatened and tried to smash all these pieces of meat¡­it was too late. Eight cubes were destroyed by the bullets, but on the remaining two cubes, radiant Red Lotus blossomed¡­ snap! A snap of the fingers. The red blaze swiftly filled the entire exhibition room, the firearms aggregation exploded, torn apart, melted, and dismantled vigorously scattering around. Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 130: Capture Chapter 131: Chapter 130: Capture The plan was just as such. Yi Chen left the exhibition area with the most firearms for last, considering that this awakened creature, aware of the world and capable of thought, would certainly not sit idly by but would definitely take measures to respond. This action of gathering all the firearms together was indeed the best scenario in the plan. Thus, the explosion set by Jin could cause maximum damage and might even eliminate the target directly. This time was unlike at the village church; Jin had brought enough meat products. Boom! The explosion of the two meat cubes was just right, not completely destroying the exhibition area to prevent any residual firearms from flying out of the factory, thereby increasing the enemy¡¯s range of movement. The target was still confined within the exhibition area. Taking advantage of the protective effects of the ¡°gentleman¡¯s clothes,¡± Yi Chen and others rushed into the blast area at the first opportunity, preparing to deal with the remaining firearms once and for all. Scanning the area. 1¡­2¡­3¡­4! There were still four guns intact, just as everyone was about to destroy the remaining firearms, Yi Chen¡¯s vision quickly captured a pistol ¡®in action,¡¯ and the corresponding name emerged on the top of the gun. The gun, however, wasn¡¯t aimed at anyone at the scene but turned its barrel towards a wall hole created by the explosion. ¡°Trying to escape! Little grape!¡± Though they couldn¡¯t make eye contact, he could still affect it with his spiritual power. The impact wasn¡¯t enough to make the target faint, but it would certainly be affected. The pistol, hit by the spiritual shock, deviated slightly. Bang! A gunshot rang out. The bullet that should have shot through the wall hole changed its trajectory due to the tilt of the gun body and struck a solid wall instead. However, the power of this bullet was remarkable, piercing straight through the wall! Nevertheless, the obstruction formed by the wall greatly reduced the bullet¡¯s speed and range. At the moment the gunshot sounded, Yi Chen raised his arm! His eyes, arm, and fingers aligned in a straight line, marking the direction of the bullet while he loudly exclaimed: ¡°Jin!¡± The next second. A figure, glowing with a deep red luster all over, flashed out of the hole in the wall following the direction Yi Chen had indicated¡­ None of those present could catch such speed with the naked eye. Jin immediately utilized 200% of his ¡°Body Explosion,¡± with a meat juice injector stuck in his neck, completely disregarding his body¡¯s deterioration, he pursued the target at the highest speed. ¡­ In a wooded area more than three hundred meters from Wendell Town, a kinetic bullet, about to run out of energy, was about to land, but just before it hit the ground, a snake slithered by¡­ The bullet changed its path mid-air and struck the snake¡¯s body. In less than a second, the snake¡¯s body was covered in a layer of metallic scales, and its mouth formed a structure similar to a gun barrel. However, due to insufficient iron atoms within, the gun barrel couldn¡¯t fire bullets, and it could only quickly wriggle away from the area. The newly birthed self-aware creature, also possessing an instinct for survival, would rapidly heal and reach higher levels through killings if it could escape to a town with metal structures. But the snake didn¡¯t slither far before a terrifying aura struck from behind. It instinctively turned its head to shoot, but found it couldn¡¯t fire any bullets¡­ the next second! A huge fleshy sack obscured its vision, instantly enveloping it. [Capture successful] Jin, not minding the explosion of flesh from his lower legs due to high-speed running, joyfully hung the swollen sack on his shoulder, ¡°The Village Chief¡¯s derived organ is really useful~¡± After a brief moment of joy, excruciating pain swept through his whole body, forcing Jin to lean against a tree for a rest. Using 200% of the ¡°Body Explosion¡± rating was still quite a strain; if the chase distance had been any longer, Jin¡¯s lower legs might have broken mid-run and blown off. By the time Yi Chen, Edmund, and the others arrived, they were shocked by Jin¡¯s appearance. Covered in blood top to bottom, turning his entire body red, with only a layer of skin and some fragmented bones connecting his lower leg region. Yet he seemed completely unconcerned, lifting the swollen sack in his hands to boast to Yi Chen, ¡°Got lucky, eh? The target was captured alive in a weakened state, this rare ¡®Severe Disease Object¡¯ is beyond valuation.¡± Everyone present was astonished by the terrifying speed Jin displayed, and regarding the captured creature, nobody had any objection; it rightfully belonged to Jin. After a brief cleanup, the squad boarded their respective carriages back to Zion, Yi Chen, Jin, Edmund, and Dagbert took a carriage specifically from the Mariano family, discussing the incident on the way. ¡°I was planning to ask you for repayment, but I learned from the butler that you and Dagbert were out on a mission. Jin is quite interested in incidents involving firearms, and since the scene wasn¡¯t far, we came over under the guise of ¡®Cesimani¡¯ to help out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really embarrassing¡­ still needing William and your help to escape danger.¡± ¡°Having your attribute countered is normal. By the way, how is Miss Juliana recovering?¡± ¡°Better than expected, Anna is enduring severe pain, persisting with rehabilitation training every day, her body is returning to its former state¡­ The doctor estimated that she could fully recover in a few months.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Edmund used his fingers to brush aside the blond hair blocking his vision, stared at Yi Chen in front of him, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Your change is significant, you were even able to heal Dagbert¡¯s physical injuries. What special events have you experienced during this period?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Jin and I barely completed a five-star difficulty task, and gained quite a few benefits from it.¡± ¡°Five stars, full difficulty!¡± Edmund had already felt a certain gap between himself and Yi Chen, After this firearm incident, upon hearing that the latter had completed a five-star full difficulty event, he realized that the gap between them had unknowingly widened significantly. ¡°I can¡¯t keep up with you anymore¡­ That¡¯s too exaggerated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just got some benefits in the event, and I also had little Grape¡¯s help. The really exaggerated one is Jin. She had reached the Limit of Man in ¡®Coordination¡¯ several months ago and could burst beyond human speed through Pathological Traits.¡± Actually, through the battle performance previously, Yi Chen had estimated Jin¡¯s ability value and deeply felt her terror. At the moment, Jin was sizing up Dagbert¡¯s robust physique, even poking his biceps with her finger. Jin asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s your ¡®Physique¡¯ at now?¡± ¡°5.¡± Dagbert was always reticent, simply responding with a number to Jin¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Your profession must also be closely related to your physique, let me guess¡­ does it increase your muscle limit, or even your physique limit?¡± Dagbert just nodded, without verbally responding. ¡°A pure strength type gentleman¡­¡± Jin suddenly became interested, pressed one hand slightly against her upper chest, leaned slightly closer to her colorful mask, and made a self-introduction gesture. ¡°My name is Jin Almeda, I hope to have a strength contest with you~ Let¡¯s do it on the coach, it will be a good way to kill some boring time.¡± Dagbert wanted to refuse, but Edmund and Yi Chen beside him nodded in indication, both of them also wanting to see this interesting contest. In the spacious family coach, a sturdy wooden table was placed in the center. Two arms, which were not of the same caliber at all, were in a handshake position, Dagbert¡¯s arm was almost twice as thick as Jin¡¯s, however, despite Jin¡¯s arm appearing very slender, its muscle distribution was extremely smooth and the structure perfect, with no flaws to be found. ¡°Get ready¡­ start!¡± When Yi Chen, the temporary referee, gave the instruction, the winner was decided instantly. Jin looked at her overwhelmed arm with a confused face! Like a huge rock pressing down on her arm, leaving her completely immobile. The disparity between them at the strength level was not simply a numerical difference. Dagbert¡¯s physique represented pure strength. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Jin, unwilling to accept this fast defeat, grabbed a swollen pouch bag beside her. ¡°Let¡¯s compete once more! If you can still win against me, this thing is yours. I won¡¯t take part in dividing the spoils, since I am not interested in non-flesh and blood objects.¡± Seeing Jin¡¯s serious expression, Dagbert could only agree. As their palms clasped together, strands of eerie red silk wound up, sketching a Red Lotus pattern on the surface of Jin¡¯s arm, even the sounds of explosions within the muscles could be heard. Dagbert distinctly felt a qualitative change in the strength of Jin¡¯s arm, ¡°Get ready¡­ 3, 2, 1! Start!¡± The moment the contest began, Jin again unleashed 200% of her Body Explosion, streaks of blood seeping through the pores, quickly overpowering Dagbert. Just as she was about to overpower his giant arm, Whom! A burst of pure strength suddenly stabilized the situation. Dagbert¡¯s arm became bulkier than usual, turning into hard lumps! His whole body¡¯s veins bulged, an invisible aura of strength surrounding him. He forcibly bent Jin¡¯s arm back to centerline. ¡°You guy!¡± Jin refused to lose, she further increased the rating of her Body Explosion¡­ 220%, 230%, 250%! Boom! A loud explosion burst out in the coach, the coach abruptly stopped by the roadside, the startled coachman quickly opened the front window to check the situation in the coach. The wooden table used for arm wrestling was completely blown apart, broken wood scattered, and a completely exploded forearm dropped on the floor. Jin, due to excessive use of strength, had her arm completely blown apart. ¡°Ah~ My body at this stage, indeed can¡¯t withstand a higher internal explosion¡­ It¡¯s really annoying, to think I still couldn¡¯t win. I indeed fall short compared to a pure strength type gentleman, I need to properly train my body when I return. Fair and square in a bet, take this thing then~¡± Jin tossed the swollen pouch bag over, picked up the severed arm and reattached it, with a dejected face, she crouched in the corner, intermittently stroking Little Pay, who stared with wide eyes, fur bristled, seemingly ready to be torn apart by the emotionally unstable Jin on the spot. Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 131 Zedes Outing Time Chapter 132: Chapter 131 Zede¡¯s Outing Time Because the support incident was not reported to the higher-ups, it was an impromptu decision by Jin. Although the two played a crucial role at the end of the incident, they would not receive any additional rewards. As a reward for handling the Severe Patient incident, each of the two squads received 2000 silver coins, one piece of Gentleman¡¯s Skin mixed with the aroma of the old world for each person, and random high-quality materials. Besides, Because he lost the arm-wrestling match, Jin voluntarily relinquished the perfect capture of the [Severe Disease Object¡ªGun Master ¨C Amis Tiller]. This was extremely rare, a ¡®Sick Object¡¯ derived from a new-era product¡ªfirearms. Throughout the whole Fourth Continent, although there were quite a few Sick Objects, those related to firearms were very few and far between. Moreover, it was captured live, with both vitality and integrity at 100%. The value of this thing was much higher than the combined rewards of the two squads. When the Severe Disease Object was brought back to Zion, it naturally had to undergo a safety inspection. When this object was handed over to the Gentleman Hall, it agitated quite a few high-ranking officials. Once the top executives confirmed that the mission participant[Edmund Mariano], possessed the talent and aptitude concerning firearms, and gauged his growth potential and personal value, the manager handed over the processed and sealed Sick Object to Edmund. ¡­ A month passed. [Zed¡¯s Paradise] Two enormous iron balls, each weighing tons, hung in the air, repeatedly striking a young man¡¯s physical body. With every strike, the young man was completely flung away, smashing into the wall ten meters away before forcibly coming to a stop. He needed to return to the original position to receive the next hit before the other iron ball struck down. This exercise was specially designed to train the ¡®Receiving Body¡¯, and was one of Yi Chen¡¯s favorite weekly training exercises. Not far away, Zed, blindfolded with a black cloth, gestured to him with a wave of his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been hit five hundred times already, let¡¯s call it a day~ It¡¯s rare that the academy has loosened its restraints on me, exceptionally allowing me two hours a week to go out. Hurry up and accompany me for a walk; I¡¯ve almost forgotten what it¡¯s like outside.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Yi Chen, covered in blood and sweat, immediately changed into gentleman¡¯s clothes, When the Skin material made contact with his body, it instantly absorbed the filth on him, expelling it through the trouser legs, completely eliminating the need for bathing. The reason why he was training alone today and not sparring with Zed, was because the academy had considered Zed¡¯s behavior for over half a year without incidents and that he was responsible for teaching the Pathology classes, where none of the students had given any average or poor feedback. For this reason, the academy had relaxed the personal restrictions on Zed, granting him two hours a week of outside time. If any violations occurred during the outing, his privileges would be immediately revoked. As a student, Yi Chen naturally volunteered to be the guide, given that Zed¡¯s temperament was somewhat peculiar, and encountering a student with an unusual body might lead to impromptu dissections. When Zed stepped out of the Viersman Teaching Building and breathed the long-missed outside air, cough, cough, cough~ he suddenly burst into a violent cough. He immediately took out a breathing mask made of phalanges and throat membrane from his waist, which gradually eased his condition. ¡°Indeed, such overly fresh air is like poison to me. Having stayed underground for a long time and been in daily contact with Patient corpses, considering the unavoidable spread of World Pathology, sooner or later, our living area will be eroded by the Grey Zone. So, during a moment of boredom, I had a special surgery done on my lungs, which allows me to easily adapt to various pathogenic air components. The only downside is that I can¡¯t quite tolerate this sort of unpolluted fresh air.¡± Yi Chen quickly took up the topic: ¡°The spread of World Pathology is unstoppable¡­ Teacher Zed, how long do you estimate it will take for the Grey Zone to cover the entire world?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t estimate the exact time, but it will definitely not be more than one hundred years, you still have time~ Agh! I managed to come out today, let¡¯s not talk about such heavy topics. The activity area is limited to the school premises, otherwise, I¡¯d like to go play in the lower layers of the street district; some of the shows in the shops there are very interesting. With a bit of improvement in my performance, I hope the academy will grant me leave from the campus.¡± Saying this, Zed twitched like a zombie, visibly delighted. He had no complaints about the confinement himself, as long as the academy provided some perks, it could keep him excited for a long time¡­ a point even Yi Chen didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Let¡¯s take a trip to the cafeteria, experiencing the feeling of ordering our own food might be nice too~ How about we see who can get to the cafeteria from the Twin Towers first, and the loser pays?¡± As he proposed this, Zede has already bent down, ready to directly climb down the mountain where the Twin Towers were located. Thud! A big bag of silver coins was thrown right in front of Zede, interrupting his start. ¡°I¡¯ll pay, let¡¯s take the elevator down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no fun~¡± ¡°I definitely can¡¯t beat you, Mr. Zede. Besides, if you, teacher, get too caught up in the race and bump into something or knock a student flying, you might not have a chance to come out again.¡± Zede poked the area around his eyepatch where his eye would be and nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s better to be cautious.¡± Zede appeared quite ¡®obedient¡¯ as he moved his body like a zombie, slowly following behind Yi Chen. When the two took the large elevator to the ground, they were met by some all too familiar faces coming up the slope at the mountain¡¯s base, a sunny young man with golden hair, a woman with a shawl covering her face, supported by a cane, followed closely by, a burly Northern Realm Warrior, All three were just as surprised to stumble upon each other, especially when they saw the teacher resembling a zombie behind Yi Chen, they stepped back in fright and quickly bowed their heads, saying, ¡°Mr. Zede!¡± Unlike Yi Chen, they only interacted with Zede in the classroom and regarded him with a kind of reverence and even a bit of fear. They also didn¡¯t know that Mr. Zede was allowed to leave the school. After a brief explanation, they also joined the queue to the cafeteria. The arrival of the three was no coincidence; Edmund had an important item that he needed to personally hand over to Yi Chen, having heard that Yi Chen was in the teaching building, he rushed over to deliver it. The item was in his hand, a portable black wooden box giving off an exceptionally heavy feeling, with the family¡¯s Feather emblem stamped on the surface. Since they decided to have lunch together, they simply stayed for a while afterwards to present the item, just as everyone stepped into the cafeteria, Edmund prepared to utilize his family privileges to secure a private room for the subsequent discussion and item transfer. Little did they know, whether the students who were currently eating or the chefs inside the food counters, all stopped their work and looked at Zede with a fearful expression. The cafeteria manager was also informed immediately, and after confirming with the authorities that Zede¡¯s outing was sanctioned, quickly arranged a special top-level dining room for them, reserved for hosting the organization¡¯s senior management. To prevent Zede¡¯s dining in the main hall from disrupting the entire cafeteria¡¯s operations, they minimized the risks as much as possible. The manager also expressed his welcome for Zede¡¯s visit, stating that all meals were free. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the school to treat me, an old employee, so well, they are quite generous.¡± Zede ordered himself three expensive meal sets, and when the food was served, he seemed to have forgotten all about gentleman-like etiquette and gorged himself like a zombie, to the point where the staff could not bear to look directly at him. After a satisfying meal, Zede was touching his fully bloated abs, leaning back in a lounge chair for a short rest, with a slight smile on his lips, apparently quite satisfied with his first outing. On the other hand, after the dining table was cleared, Edmund requested that the private room be temporarily sealed off to ensure privacy inside. ¡°William, this is for you.¡± Edmund brought the heavy black box over to Yi Chen, along with the sole matching circular key. Both the key and the box corresponded to extremely complex seals, indirectly indicating the preciousness of the tool inside. Click~ with the turn of the key, the seals between the box and the key also gradually aligned, unlocking layer by layer. Click! The moment the lid of the box was opened, a strange pathological aura immediately spilled out, rousing the napping Zede who abruptly sprang up onto the table like a reanimated corpse, sniffing the air, ready to rip apart the suspected patient¡¯s body into pieces. But he discovered that the source of the pathological aura was a special item stored within the box¡­ Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 132 "Body Breaker Chapter 133: Chapter 132 ¡°Body Breaker ¡°` The black wooden box was filled with a highly dense, soft substance known as Oak Mucus, harvested from the oak cultivation areas within Zion, artificially infected to contract a controllable tree disease. After infection, the oaks would produce tumorous tissues, periodically secreting a sealing, malleable, and controllable mucus; the initial mucus appeared light grey, with a translucency of 30¨C40%. It could be diluted or refined to create Oak Mucus for various uses. Often used to encase infectious materials, it could effectively prevent the spread of the Pathological Characteristic while catering to both ¡°storage¡± and ¡°sealing¡± effects. At the moment, within the concentrated and refined mucus, lay a special firearm, primarily black with silver decorations. Due to its ¡°handgun-like grip¡± and ¡°no stock¡± configuration, Yi Chen mistook it for a handgun at first glance, only upon closer inspection did he realize it was a portable shotgun designed with a shortened barrel, The silver outer shell at the junction of the grip and magazine was adorned with Feather Decorations and etched with the italicized word Mariano, as a whole it gave off a contradictory sensation¡ªshort and slightly heavy, portable yet extremely lethal¡­especially the exaggerated barrel size, which seemed capable of shattering a human body directly. The most important aspect was the active Pathological Aura emanating from the firearm as a whole. Even teacher Zede crawling on the table could detect a faint dangerous aura and even wanted to personally test the power of the gun. Yi Chen immediately recognized the origin of the weapon, ¡°Is this! A gun made from that Sick Object?¡± ¡°Correct¡­ Designed and manufactured by the top gunsmith of our family, my father Elifayet Mariano himself, he named it The Body Breaker. After removing the Sick Object¡¯s consciousness, the material¡¯s activity was retained to the maximum extent, hence it emits a Pathological Aura and needs to be encased in Oak Mucus. Considering that you, William, have a liking, even an obsession, with close combat with the Patients, my father and I chose this design of a shotgun, which has the strongest short-range lethality, while deciding on the type of firearm.¡± ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± Yi Chen interrupted Edmund¡¯s introduction, ¡°Edmund, wasn¡¯t the Sick Object entirely awarded to you? With a Sick Object that suits you so well, wouldn¡¯t you be able to make better use of it than me? You could even choose to refine it into a Pathological Crystal, obtaining the corresponding Pathological Trait. Or craft a firearm that¡¯s more suitable for yourself like this one.¡± However, Edmund just shrugged, seemingly without any thought in that direction. ¡°I¡¯ve already received the corresponding ¡®Reward¡¯ from the mission settlement, and thus the family¡¯s troubles were also resolved. If it weren¡¯t for your and Miss Jin¡¯s support and rescue, the injuries Dagbert received at the time would have robbed him of his combat capabilities, and I was completely suppressed by attribute counter. Moreover, another team also had injured members. The outcome could have been all of us dying in the factory or being forced to flee and abandon the mission. Even if we could somehow rely on luck and exhaust all means, it would be nearly impossible to achieve a ¡®Capture Technique¡¯ of such degree; most likely the target would have escaped, causing casualties in other nearby towns or cities. This object essentially belonged to you and Jin, and Miss Jin has already relinquished all rights to it on her way back to the city¡­ Therefore, my father and I unanimously decided to craft this portable shotgun that retains the activity of the Sick Object as a ¡®Gift.''¡± This left Yi Chen somewhat at a loss for words, feeling quite embarrassed to accept such a generous gift. ¡°I¡¯ve also never used a¡­gun.¡± As he spoke these words, images locked deep within his brain, secured by multiple safes, began to seep through the gaps in the locks, darkening his mind and overlaying the corresponding scenes. A rainy night, a door coated in pitch black, three security personnel lying in a pool of blood with their heads blown off, one of the corpses¡¯ service guns was neither on the waist nor in the hands, but being held by a seven-year-old boy at the door. Although the heavy, cold handgun designed for adults caused the boy¡¯s hand to tear at the web during the shooting, he easily killed the three. ¡­ ¡°` ¡°William, what are you doing?¡± A sudden prompt from the grape¡¯s consciousness pulled him back from his memories. At this moment, he was already gripping the shortened shotgun in his hand, even assuming a shooting stance, The gun, retaining its vitality, ¡®obediently¡¯ stayed in Yi Chen¡¯s hands, seemingly acknowledging its new master without absorbing any iron elements from his body, or firing on its own. Everyone except for Teacher Zede had kept their distance from Edmund. Their distancing was partly due to the dangerous nature of the firearm and partly because of the Death Aura emanating from Yi Chen. ¡°I¡­ was just recalling some past events, sorry about that.¡± Seeing that Yi Chen had returned to normal, Edmund approached once again, Observing Yi Chen¡¯s standard shooting posture and his command over the living firearm, Edmund said with satisfaction, ¡°My feeling was indeed correct, William, you do possess a talent for firearms. If you have time, you can come to my place to practice shooting.¡± ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Having said that, Yi Chen agreed. Moreover, holding the grip of the gun felt very comfortable, even stimulating the secretion of adrenaline in his body, making him eager to use it to kill enemies and expel diseases. ¡°I should probably introduce you to some information and usage of the gun, since it differs somewhat from ordinary firearms. The-Body-Breaker The total length of the gun is 419mm, barrel length is 165mm, and the weight of the empty gun is 4.01kg. The total weight is variable; through the absorption of ferrous materials to fill the ammunition, the maximum weight can reach 10.55kg. It doesn¡¯t come equipped with ammunition, instead, it uses ¡®corpse supply¡¯. Firing at metal targets or contact with metallic objects with the gun body can obtain ammunition, with iron or rare metals derived from iron being the best. The maximum ammo capacity is [10], with two types of ammunition corresponding to two different shooting modes: 1. Buckshot, each round contains 10 pellets, spread-shot firing. The most effective range is within five meters, maximum range 50m. 2. Rifled-slug, a single spiral bullet head, heavy and large, for single-point firing. Significantly increases effective range, showing decent performance even at close distances. Effective range 250m, best within ten meters. There¡¯s a ¡®switch¡¯ located where your thumb rests when holding the gun, which you can pull to change ammo types. Considering that most of the time you will use it for close-range shooting, William, there¡¯s not a high requirement for accuracy. Therefore, my father transferred all the Sick Object¡¯s Self-aiming Feature into damage amplification during its making. The damage from this firearm is quite terrifying, and it will increase with the purity and rarity of the metal used. Moreover, it has the potential for growth and development. Its true value and additional uses will need to be discovered by you, William. If you want to preserve the entire corpse of a Patient, try not to use it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Teacher Zede, who had been listening to the information about the firearm, immediately became interested and suggested, ¡°We have 21 minutes and 37 seconds left before the outing ends. Why not test the power of this gun right here? Aim at my body with the most powerful spread-shot mode, making sure all the pellets hit me, and give it a shot!¡± Zede excitedly stripped off his shirt, pointing his hands toward the oddly structured muscle area of his abdomen. ¡°Sure!¡± As he was frequently in physical contact with Zede, Yi Chen was very clear about his teacher¡¯s intentions, and he himself was indeed eager to test out the firepower of the gun. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Partners and Friends Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Partners and Friends Zede, also known as the ¡°Corpse Maker¡±. Originally a certified ¡°Main Doctor¡± by Cesimani and a Doctor of Pathology from Hippocrates Hospital, he became a distinguished professor at the Omphalo-Centric-Academy in just five years, as well as the youngest professor at the time. His strength, talent, and unique understanding of the physical earned him a period of focused attention from the First Gentleman, being deemed one of the rising lights of humanity¡¯s future. Unfortunately, during an expedition into the Grey Zone, he was stripped of his ¡°Eye¡± privileges, which only exacerbated his already peculiar personality into something much more mad. After returning from the Grey Zone, despite a lengthy period of treatment and recuperation and even psychological counseling, he frequently received complaints from new recruits during his teaching tenure at the academy, until one time¡­ Perhaps it was a flare-up of Zede¡¯s own condition, or perhaps a new recruit, emboldened by his family¡¯s background, spoke disrespectfully, or an unexpected incident occurred during class, or maybe effects from the Grey Zone lingering in Zede¡¯s body hadn¡¯t dissipated and remained active. In the end, it led to the direct death of seven new recruits, and after an investigation by the organization, the cause was classified as confidential and sealed. Considering some suspicious aspects of the incident and Zede¡¯s contributions and personal value to the organization, the tribunal decided to imprison him for life in the depths of the teaching building, but allowed him normal supplies for experiments and living, meeting Zede¡¯s related needs as much as possible, allowing him to continue his research on Patient corpses under confinement. Simultaneously, Hogni Zede was also kept as a ¡°Special Record Combat Power¡±, to be used in the face of inevitable crises to come. Zede¡¯s reputation was so well-known within the academy that it needed no introduction. The cafeteria manager also stayed right outside the private room door for the entirety of Zede¡¯s mealtime. If the peculiar Zede had any excessive food requests, he could arrange them at the first opportunity, and he would report any violations to the academy¡¯s higher authorities depending on the situation. The manager glanced at his watch and exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, it seems everything¡¯s alright. They must be nearly done eating by now. Zede has twenty minutes left for his outdoor activity. If he doesn¡¯t leave when the time is up, a professor-level gentleman will come and forcibly take him back. I hope nothing goes wrong~¡± The portly manager had just taken out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Boom! A loud, exaggerated noise came from the private room, causing his plump body to quiver. Ignoring the expensive handkerchief that fell to the ground, he rushed inside. In the room, Zede¡¯s upper body, torn to shreds, happened to land in the middle of the dining table, remaining upright. His lower body, having been subjected to a tremendous impact and rebounded off the wall, was perfectly hung from the chandelier above. Although his body was torn open, there was no blood. ¡°What the hell!¡± The manager was shocked, pushing his large belly forward, trying to pin Yi Chen, who had a gun, to the ground. But Zede¡¯s upper half quickly crawled forward, bellowing sternly, ¡°Who let you in?¡± The manager was taken aback by the question, hesitating, ¡°Well¡­ I just¡­¡± By then, Yi Chen had already put away his gun into the oak mucus, closed the box, and hurried to explain, ¡°No worries! I was just testing a new weapon with teacher Zede, didn¡¯t expect the noise to be so loud, my apologies.¡± Yi Chen then purposely looked at his watch, feigning surprise, ¡°Oh! It¡¯s already so late. Teacher Zede, you have twenty minutes left of your outdoor time, we need to hurry back¡­ If you¡¯re late on your first outing, it might be hard to get permission to leave the campus again.¡± ¡°Ah~ then let¡¯s hurry.¡± Clang clang bang~ The chandelier swayed, and the lower half of the body hanging from it leaped back onto the table. Hiss~ An ancient aura poured out from the wound, the two halves of the body fused back together as before, and he spat out bullet after bullet of metal pellets back to Yi Chen. His pupils filled with admiration for the firearm. Edmund and others naturally followed, escorting teacher Zede back to the teaching building. However, they were not qualified to go to the underground area where Zede was located and could only say goodbye in front of the teaching building. Everything that needed to be said had been said in the cafeteria, Edmund waved and turned to leave with his teammates, As the three of them departed, the ¡®distance¡¯ between them and Yi Chen grew further and further. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Yi Chen suddenly called out, ¡°If Miss Juliana doesn¡¯t mind, I can offer regenerative treatments here on campus during non-weekend hours. The effect might not be very apparent, but it should speed up the recovery to your former condition by a couple of weeks. ¡°If there¡¯s ever a suitable mission, feel free to call me anytime.¡± Edmund didn¡¯t verbally respond; instead, he turned his back, raised his right hand, and made an [OK] gesture before slowly vanishing from sight. It was then that Zede spoke with the rare tone of an instructor: ¡°In this regard, Edmund has done better than you. This place is not any peaceful world ¨C it¡¯s where you can easily fall ill and die. If there is a natural [gap] between people and this gap only widens with personal growth¡­ there¡¯s no need to consider past affections or deliberately help others. Doing so would not only slow down your own growth, but also prevent the other person from undergoing the necessary trials and growth.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°That said, this kid¡¯s family really has some skills, being able to tame such a living sick object and create such a perfect firearm¡­ The weight, length, and attack mode are all well-suited for you. It also shows that Edmund understands you well, indeed a good brother. Helping out occasionally isn¡¯t out of the question, it¡¯s your call to make. Let¡¯s include this gun in our physical sparring from now on, the feeling of being blasted at close range is just too cool~ You indeed have a talent for shooting, the vibe when you fire doesn¡¯t resemble that of a beginner at all. Practice well with this thing, and it will surely become a means for you to fend off illness in the future.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°No time like the present, let¡¯s start our physical sparring.¡± ¡­ Time flew by. Before he knew it, Yi Chen had been in Zion for an entire year. During this time, Yi Chen had not slacked off at all, studying, undergoing special training, and sometimes joining Jin to head to Cesimani for tactical and practical training. The two main Attributes he focused on, [Physique] and [Intellect], had not improved, but he could distinctly feel a rising trend in his Intellect, and his Physique was also subtly changing during the special training. With enough accumulation, a chance to go on a mission might give him the boost he needed. Moreover, the [Motorics] Attribute, representing nerve response and body speed, had changed, A month ago, during practical special training in Cesimani, Yi Chen unexpectedly dodged a flying knife shot from behind with unbelievable reflex speed. The moment he completed the dodge, his Motorics value jumped directly to [3]. The flying knife was like a breakthrough, transforming a year¡¯s worth of reaction experience into an increase in the Motorics Attribute. One year after becoming a Gentleman, Yi Chen¡¯s Basic Attributes were as follows: [Physique]: 4+ [Motorics]: 3 [Intellect]: 5+ [Psyche]: 3 [Luck]: 3 Such data might not be on par with Jin¡¯s, but he had already surpassed the majority of the new Gentlemen. There was another significant matter as well. The Omphalo-Centric-Academy was going to conduct a [Test] for the new Gentlemen who had been enrolled for a year, especially those who picked easy missions every month, attempting to coast along. If they failed to pass the test, the Academy wouldn¡¯t expel them but would reduce certain privileges and impose strict requirements for their development in the subsequent year. They would be asked to leave if they couldn¡¯t meet those standards. Yi Chen¡¯s personal record, due to a record of a five-star difficulty mission, secured him an exemption from the test. However, both the First Tutor, Professor Qian Bosen, and the Second Tutor, Zede, insisted that he participate, Qian Bosen thought the Academy¡¯s testing would be very interesting and Yi Chen might learn something from it, even possibly catching the eye of the Academy and thus gaining access to more resources. Zede simply wanted to show off to the Academy the student he had trained, as in his eyes, Yi Chen had fully inherited his mantle on the Physical Level¡­ If Yi Chen performed well enough, he might be allowed to leave the Academy early. In the early morning, Zede woke Yi Chen with a slap, who was sleeping while jogging on the treadmill. ¡°Hurry up! I¡¯ve specially freed up two hours to get out; we need to reach the assessment site early so that bunch can witness your skills, see how fierce the student I, Zede, have trained is.¡± With dark circles under his eyes and a pale face, Yi Chen said weakly: ¡°Ah¡­ right, there¡¯s an assessment today. The special training went on too late yesterday; I completely forgot about it. Suddenly feeling so sleepy~¡± Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 134 Principal Chapter 135: Chapter 134 Principal The test at the academy was somewhat different, or rather, there was a variance in the tests for each new gentleman, it wasn¡¯t meant to measure how strong a person was, after all, ¡°personal strength¡± could be directly tested through gentleman¡¯s clothes. Some students, with their innate talents, had very high values in certain basic attributes before entering the school, while other students might be of the acquired type, needing a lot of training or opportunities to slowly reveal their unique abilities and extraordinary sides. Therefore, the theme of the academy¡¯s test was¡ªInner Potential. The test could effectively assess whether the new gentlemen had value worth continuing to cultivate, with a variety of testing methods that were kept completely secret, and the academy also prohibited teachers or gentlemen who had been tested from disclosing it; otherwise, they would be subject to severe punishment and possibly held accountable. According to Professor Qian Bosen, the test would be very interesting and could even help Yi Chen improve personally. This time, the test venue was arranged in one of the Twin Towers¡ªthe Swan School, where public Gentleman¡¯s Studies classes were held. Since Yi Chen hardly slept the night before, to ensure his mental state during the test, Zede had him quickly catch up on some sleep. Zede took the two hours of weekly outdoor time, timed with the test, and without caring about his identity as a tutor, slung the soundly sleeping Yi Chen (tied on his back with hemp ropes) onto his back and quickly crossed the suspension bridge that connected the Twin Towers, arriving at the opposite Swan School. From the outside, the school looked more like a large church. Built with white stone, its front facade had an obvious gothic style, whether it was the load-bearing columns or the triangular roofs between them, or the shape of window frames and the main door, all showcased a triangular pattern, reinforcing a ¡®mountain-like structure¡¯ and giving an impression of thrusting into the clouds. The double doors were created with multiple archivolts and columns that receded layer by layer, drawing one in deeper. At the top of the door structure was a beautifully carved, pure white swan statue, symbolizing a gentleman¡¯s elegant character. Past the double doors, inside the school was an immense two-story space, with long shared wooden desks on both sides, each accommodating eight students. The center of the school was left open with a long aisle connecting the front door to the lectern at the far end, paved with white marble, as the teachers¡¯ ¡°path¡±. During classes, the teacher would roam about this path, randomly picking a student to demonstrate gentlemanly postures and movements alongside, correcting every detail of each student. All students at Omphalo-Centric-Academy have their unified public Gentleman¡¯s Studies class here every Monday morning, while Swan School is closed to the public for the rest of the time. But today was different. Aside from Yi Chen¡¯s cohort of new gentlemen, those from the two cohorts before and after his also gathered for the ¡®annual test¡¯, totaling 40 people. When Zede arrived carrying the soundly sleeping Yi Chen, he immediately drew the gaze of everyone present. Let alone the others, even Professor Qian Bosen slightly furrowed his brow upon seeing this scene. Many teachers within the academy, upon seeing Zede, either showed apprehension or unease, and some even displayed contemptuous looks. Zede hurriedly explained, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry~ this kid completely forgot about the test, went crazy in my paradise for a night, and is now catching up on sleep to restore a bit of his condition, lest it affect the outcome of the test. It¡¯s my fault for not adjusting the special training schedule in time.¡± Zede¡¯s amiable attitude surprised everyone, however, professor Qian Bosen in the front row immediately rebuked him harshly: ¡°Zede, today¡¯s annual test will be personally presided over by the Principal. Such discourteous behavior, if seen by the Principal, might result in the revocation of some of the freedoms you now enjoy.¡± Zede scratched at his eyepatch with resignation, showing a very wronged and honest appearance, getting ready to use some joint technique to wake Yi Chen by force. Just at that moment, A gentle female voice gradually intensified, permeating the school from the outside, circulating in everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°It¡¯s alright, let him rest well~ I will schedule his test for later. If the physical body and the spirit are too exhausted, it indeed can affect the test results.¡± As the voice penetrated, Whoosh! A ray of black light adorned with dazzling light particles descended from the sky above, piercing through the center of the Swan School¡¯s roof. With the light¡¯s penetration, the stone structure at the top of the school slowly became void and transparent, no longer solid. Immediately after, A pair of full and lively pitch-black wings carried a white-haired woman with a perfect, slightly voluptuous Body Shape through the roof, descending into the center of the school. On her face was a delicate ¡®Crying Mask¡¯, the mask was overall black, with teardrops at the corners of the eyes shimmering with starlight hues. Her long black robe with dark gold trim came with multiple floating ribbons surrounding her, The robe had a high Skin Content, full of vitality and continuously moving, The more fitted structure of the outfit also perfectly accentuated the flawless upper body figure, Slim, slightly plump legs appeared and disappeared amidst the fluttering robe, [Mysterious], [Breathtaking Night Sky], [Maternal] These were the first impressions she left on everyone present. Principal of the Omphalo-Centric Academy, Connector of the Breathtaking Starry Night, Daislin Baldivia. All the gentlemen present, including honorary teachers like Qian Bosen and special-record combat powers like Zede who had long been imprisoned, nearly disconnected from reality, bowed their heads one after another. Daislin, who had been a principal player in suppressing Zede, was someone who still gave Zede a headache at the thought of her. At first sight of her, Little Grape hid inside Yi Chen immediately, not daring to show his face. Even the slumbering Yi Chen woke up as he sensed such an unfamiliar aura coming from the subdermal plants that rapidly wriggled. By the time his vision gradually cleared, his eyes had automatically locked on to the source of the aura. In his view, A weeping black mask was looking at him, startling Yi Chen into quickly climbing down from Zede¡¯s back and standing up straight to offer a gentleman¡¯s greeting. There was no need for introductions; Yi Chen quickly gathered the environmental information and immediately inferred in his mind that the woman before him was indeed the illustrious principal. Conversely, The principal wearing the Crying Mask seemed to smile slightly at Yi Chen when she noticed how quickly he adapted. She then turned to the front. Striding forward, she walked along the central aisle, explaining the rules of the upcoming test. The gathered teachers and students immediately dispersed to both sides, taking their seats in succession. ¡°I will be in charge of this annual test, When the time comes, you will ¡®contact¡¯ me in order, and upon touching, your spirit will be led to a special Thought Space.¡± ¡°This space is supported by my spirit and created by yours. You will confront your weakest side there, that is, your lowest Basic Attribute, with the exception of Luck. The student with the weakest Physique might fall into a mental space piled with boulders and need to push them all aside to find the way out. The student with the weakest Coordination might find themselves in an archery field, with all the archers shooting at you, needing to dodge the arrows and find the one way out.¡± In short, the test for each student will differ based on yourselves, and so will the method to complete it. If you can wake up normally within three minutes, you will have passed the test. If anyone can wake up within one minute, they will also receive a small gift from me. I hope to see such a student appear. If you are ready, then let us begin¡­¡± Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Test Difficulty Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Test Difficulty Annual tests presided over by the Principal herself were extremely rare. The content of the test troubled all the new gentlemen cadets present, even shattering the confidence they had built up in the early stages of the testing. The test would focus on their weakest areas, Since gentleman cadets often specialize in one of the Basic Attributes, someone like Dagbert who is a Warrior would spend 70-80% of their effort on training Power, while barely spending any time on their lowest attribute, ¡°Intelligence¡±. Similarly, a frail gentleman wielding a staff, if asked to undertake a test related to Power, wouldn¡¯t even know how to begin. However, after a careful analysis of the Principal¡¯s words, a small number of cadets still discovered the key points and breakthroughs. Yi Chen also quickly understood the essence of the test, ¡°The Thought Space, which is a direct manifestation of the mind. Although it¡¯s a test of the weakest attribute, an individual with enough perseverance and steadfast will to take on the test may achieve a mental breakthrough in the so-called Thought Space, reaching a state unattainable in the real world¡­ It¡¯s essentially a form of ¡°Inner Potential¡± testing method. No wonder Professor Qian Bosen suggested I participate, such a purely mental-level test can indeed be considered a special form of training. Speaking of which, my Basic Attributes for coordination and Sensing are both only [3], I wonder which one will be chosen for the test¡­ I hope it¡¯s Sensing, as the firearms Edmund gifted me are mainly associated with the Sensing attribute. Also, the ¡®Black Umbilical Cord¡¯ as a Relic is related to Sensing.¡± As Yi Chen pondered, three students were already called up to the front. The Principal slowly raised her hand, extended her pale and delicate palm, and touched the students¡¯ foreheads with her index finger. The instant she touched them, their eyes glazed over and slowly closed. Their bodies were immediately wrapped in a starry cocoon and began to float in the air. The ¡°Floating Height¡± correlated with the depth of consciousness they entered, some only half a meter from the ground, while others floated above everyone¡¯s heads. However, this depth of consciousness would not affect the test too greatly under the Principal¡¯s coordination. As long as they could find the ¡®exit¡¯ the Principal set up in the Thought Space, they could wake up normally. Three minutes passed quickly. Yet, only one gentleman woke up normally. With two cadets declared to have failed right at the start, the atmosphere on-site immediately grew tense. Generally speaking, the pass rate for the annual assessments is over 80%, its core purpose being to weed out those gentlemen who are malingerers and lack ambition. After all, the majority of newcomers to Zion would still be eager to excel, at least in their first two years, trying to push their Limits. The two students who failed were also hardworking; they spent all year trying to improve themselves, and the tasks they accepted in the Gentleman Hall were of moderate difficulty and met standards, they even experienced life-and-death situations. But they could not pass the Principal¡¯s test. Then, a very gentle voice came from beneath the Crying Mask, a voice that alone could soothe the souls of the two. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you couldn¡¯t directly confront the weakest aspect of yourselves on a mental level, nor could I discern where your Potential lies. Given the current budget constraints and limited resources of the academy, we will have to end your training prematurely. You may choose to stay in the academy at your own expense, or you may process the formalities to leave after the test concludes¡­ Personally, I would recommend the latter.¡± With those words, a hush fell over the room, and when the two failed cadets tried to retort, Malice emanated from the Crying Mask; as they looked towards the mask, their souls began to tremble¡­ Their objections died in their throats, to the point where they couldn¡¯t even breathe. In a state of pallor, they quickly retreated back to their seats on the sides, only then gradually recovering. Yi Chen, seated at the back, also felt puzzled by the situation, thinking to himself: ¡°Is the Principal this strict? It seems there¡¯s a reason little grape hid away.¡± At that moment, he felt a poking sensation in his waist, Yi Chen looked down and saw a severed finger gently prodding him, which then began to crawl up along his clothes. The finger came from Zede, yet Zede himself stared ahead, pretending as if nothing was happening. The finger crawled like an earthworm to Yi Chen¡¯s ear and pressed against his eardrum, engaging in a secret communication: ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by the old woman¡¯s appearance! She is extremely dangerous. It¡¯s because of her that the academy remains virtually free from any ungentlemanly conduct. Even Zion¡¯s high authorities must get her consent to interfere with the academy¡¯s internal rights. When she led a group of Main Doctors to chase after me, she almost had them pour my brain out to clean her mask.¡± When it¡¯s your turn, you must pay particular attention to etiquette. Since you came in sleeping, the Principal surely took note of it and is quite likely to target you specifically. Moreover, because of my personal reasons, she may also transfer her hatred for me onto you.¡± Hearing Zede¡¯s words, Yi Chen¡¯s face scrunched up, but he eventually swallowed his retort. To Yi Chen, it didn¡¯t matter; he just had to do his best in the test. If he was specifically targeted and failed to pass, the worst-case scenario would be paying for school himself. Without thinking too much about it, he continued to watch the other students being tested. With batch after batch of students stepping forward, the pass rate remained below 50%, and Yi Chen¡¯s name had yet to be called, seeming to save him for last. ¡°Edmund, Juliana, Dagbert.¡± The familiar trio was called up by the Principal at the same time, making Yi Chen sweat nervously. The Principal seemed to see something different in the three, and quietly commented: ¡°Hm, not too many impurities in your eyes, and your profile information is also good, very hardworking and relatively talented¡­ Let¡¯s see your performance then.¡± Touching their foreheads, all three floated up. Edmund and Dagbert¡¯s weak point was ¡°intelligence,¡± while Juliana¡¯s was ¡°sensing.¡± Time ticked away, minute by minute, and Yi Chen silently timed in his heart, hoping one of them would wake up ahead of time. ¡°57, 58, 59!¡± At that second, Juliana, floating several meters in the air, woke up and suddenly began falling. Since she was in a period of recovery and could only walk simply, such a fall could cause secondary injuries¡­ Instinctively, Yi Chen stepped over his desk, intending to leap up and catch her. However, Zede grabbed his wrist, forcefully stopping him. Buzz! Juliana did not crash to the floor; she hovered in the air, just a second before landing, and floated toward the Principal¡¯s position. ¡°You are the first student to wake up within a minute! It seems you¡¯ve made very effective ¡®spiritual refinement¡¯ by using the opportunity provided by your physical injuries, very good! Here is your reward.¡± The Principal¡¯s black wings trembled slightly, and a single feather drifted down. Slowly floating to Juliana¡¯s thigh, it turned into specks of starry night dots and absorbed within. ¡°Your recovery requires perseverance and the right opportunity, and I have given you the ¡®opportunity¡¯¡­ The rest of the recovery is up to your own willpower.¡± The Principal even patted her head with satisfaction. Before long, Edmund and Dagbert also passed the test and landed normally. When the trio returned to their seats, they also glanced at Yi Chen, with Edmund even sneakily making an OK gesture. The testing continued. With 40 students and the test being conducted in groups of three, there was just one person left. ¡°William Behrens.¡± As the Principal read out Yi Chen¡¯s name, the Crying Mask also looked over, and the Principal watched Yi Chen walk from the last row to the podium the entire time. Without any questioning, her finger suddenly jabbed towards Yi Chen¡¯s forehead! Buzz! This sensation of consciousness being pulled away was all too familiar for Yi Chen, who steadied himself and descended smoothly. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the corridor of an art gallery, with various dark-style paintings hung at regular intervals on the wall and candles of different heights placed at the corners. Outside the window, a heavy rain was pouring, pitter-patter~ the raindrops struck the window heavily, creating an odd sound and even chipping some minor cracks. Crack! Suddenly, lightning flashed outside the window, bringing a momentary brightness. It clearly illuminated numerous ghostly figures outside the window; they were using their fingers in sync with the rain¡¯s impact, rhythmically tapping on the glass. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 136 Depth Chapter 137: Chapter 136 Depth [Swan School] All the gentlemen present, including the students who had failed the test and were disheartened, raised their heads at this moment, looking up at the young man floating in the air. He floated up to the height of the roof, and if the roof hadn¡¯t been there, he might have even flown out of the school. Yi Chen had reached a depth of consciousness that transcended normality, perfectly harmonizing with the Thought Space drawn out by the Principal, and constructed a true spiritual scene that was indistinguishable from reality. All senses would be 100% restored within Thought Space, making the test more direct, realistic, and effective. Underneath the Crying Mask, the Principal¡¯s gaze also changed, as she rarely saw a brain as intriguing and a student with such deep thinking. ¡­ [Rainy Night Gallery] ¡°Very clear, very real¡­ hardly any different from reality itself. It¡¯s entirely unlike the hazy, uncontrollable, and fuzzy sensation of being passively extracted into the old world, it¡¯s just like something really happening. Speaking of which, the Thought Space constructed by the consciousness, which was upheld by the Principal according to my weaknesses, looks rather dark, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Hand taps the sound of the rain, Phantoms outside the window, And a series of bizarre and unsettling abstract paintings, like ¡°Mesa Dela Woman¡± featuring a woman with her head tilted at a 90¡ã angle, out of place among the people around her, standing in a bustling street with eyes filled with blood, staring out of the painting¡¯s frame. Yi Chen habitually tried to open his briefcase to retrieve the Hand Axe and a gun but found nothing in his hands. He couldn¡¯t get any response when trying to use plants either, as the consciousness brought into Thought Space was restricted by the Principal to an Ordinary physical body, However, Yi Chen pinched his arm hard and didn¡¯t feel pain but itching¡­ indicating that what Zede teacher taught him remained unaffected, as this physical essence change tied to the soul¡¯s essence could not be blocked. ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure if the flow of time here is consistent with reality, I should hurry up nonetheless.¡± Since this is a gallery, no matter how eerie or bizarre, Yi Chen instantly stepped into the role of an [Audience] coming to partake in an art exhibition, sincerely appreciating each painting. Before starting his Appreciation, Yi Chen first took a quick glance around. A square gallery formed by four corridors, with no visible entrances or exits. Although each corridor was the same in length, window placement, carpet color, and other details, Yi Chen still used the paintings at the beginning and end of the gallery for differentiation, labeled with numerical codes. The number of paintings in galleries 1 through 3 was equal, only gallery 4 had a missing painting in the middle, leaving a blank white wall, but upon close inspection, it appeared to be just an ordinary wall with no peculiar features for the time being. The only [difference] that caught Yi Chen¡¯s eye could very well be the key to a Breakthrough. Next was to appreciate the paintings one by one. Unlike his usual precise memory of scene details, Yi Chen did not attempt to imprint the visual patterns of the paintings in his mind, since it¡¯s impossible to fully remember and replicate such artistic formats just by memory. Instead, he tried to understand, perceive, and appreciate the Essence of the paintings, combining their names with his efforts. When he stopped in front of the fourth painting, ¡°orange abandoned baby,¡± a flash of lightning streaked across the window, followed by the sound of shattering glass. An unexpected disturbance forced Yi Chen to turn his head to look. The square window in the center of the gallery, due to the startling thunder, now bore an exaggerated crack. ¡ºA disruptor, perhaps?¡» Yi Chen showed no change in expression and prepared to continue immersing himself in the Appreciation of the paintings. However, when his gaze returned to the ¡°orange abandoned baby,¡± the infant that should have been under the orange tree had disappeared, leaving only the spread-out swaddle. The change in the painting put Yi Chen on high alert instantly, WaWa! A cry echoed from the deep corner of the corridor, extinguishing all nearby candles. Slowly, a yellow baby, its skin replaced by orange peels, crawled out of the darkness, its mouth torn to reveal insect-like venomous fangs, and its abdomen even had powerful appendages like a grasshopper¡¯s. The instant it appeared, it leaped at Yi Chen, its fangs Locking onto his neck artery. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Yi Chen, drawing on his combat experience, instantly executed a swift sidestep. Completely avoiding the attack, his body coiled like a bow, his hands turned to hammers, and he struck down vertically! He landed a perfect hit on the orange abandoned baby mid-air, smashing it to the ground with great force. He gave the monster no chance to recover, stepping down with the sole of his shoe. ¡°` Smack¡ªIgnoring the slime on the sole of his shoe, Yi Chen continued to appreciate the next painting. Furthermore, he used part of his brain capacity to quickly think about the events that had just occurred, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the ¡®Spiritual Test¡¯ initiated by the Principal to also be dangerous. If I were to die here, the test would probably be a direct failure. As for the materialization of the paintings, based on the recent situation, two reasons can be deduced, 1. The lightning flashing outside the window 2. My subjective appreciation of the painting If both of these conditions are met, it should lead to the materialization of the paintings¡­ Next time the lightning flashes, I¡¯ll try not to look away. Maybe I can avoid such a situation.¡± Moreover, I need to speed up. The gallery is not stable; if these windows with cracks are to break, the ghostly shadows crawling outside will flood in and the test may as well end in failure.¡± As he thought, white steam again overflowed from Yi Chen¡¯s brain, and with his concentration increasing, he gradually sped up the pace of his art appreciation. The intervals between each flash of lightning were almost the same, By the time Yi Chen was appreciating the ninth painting¡ª¡±Maze Phantom¡± ¡ªlightning flashed followed by an even crisper sound of glass cracking, with a larger crack appearing on the window. But this time, Yi Chen did not turn his head and stared intently at the painting in front of him. The humanoid body and the sunflower-like head of the creature remained within the painting and did not come out to cause trouble. ¡°Nice! As long as I keep my eyes on it, and my subjective consciousness remains unwavering, the things inside the painting can¡¯t come out¡­ This is indeed purely a Thought Space, where subjective consciousness plays a significant role. How interesting.¡± Having reached a conclusion, Yi Chen no longer had any distractions and discarded all interference, completely immersing himself in the art appreciation. After completing the appreciation of galleries number 1, 2, and 3, he finally arrived at the slightly different Gallery 4, In the middle of the corridor, directly opposite the window, there was a missing painting on the wall. Crack! Lightning flashed. The violent thunder shattered a small piece of the window full of cracks, and rainwater couldn¡¯t wait to pour in, filling the gallery in streams. Unaffected, Yi Chen, ignoring the water covering the soles of his shoes, proceeded at the fastest pace for the final appreciation. As his gaze left the last painting, Segments of paintings that had been understood and digested rapidly flashed back in his mind, weaving together effectively and joining each other to form something entirely new. Yi Chen moved to the middle of Gallery 4, carefully staring at the blank space on the wall, trying to imprint there what had come together in his mind, waiting for an opportunity. Crack! Yi Chen blinked as the lightning shone brightly. On the wall that was originally empty, there unexpectedly appeared a new painting¡­ This painting was precisely the one that had formed in Yi Chen¡¯s brain, a result compounded from all the other paintings. Named ¡°The Door.¡± Painted within the frame was a brand new iron door, the ¡®exit¡¯ to the outside world. At that moment, Boom! The window behind him completely shattered. As the broken glass flew past Yi Chen, ghostly hands reached out towards him. Unfortunately for them, with his step forward, all the hands missed. Unaffected, Yi Chen continued to gaze at the painting, approaching it calmly. When there was less than ten centimeters between them, perhaps because he was so focused on scrutinizing the iron door within the frame that he felt he had seen it somewhere before, or perhaps his engrossed art appreciation led him down into a deeper area of consciousness, even surpassing the value set by the Principal. Suddenly, some strange brain signals emerged, directly affecting the current Thought Space, like black threads crawling towards ¡°The Door.¡± The iron door in the painting became increasingly real, even showing rust scars and a metal doorplate full of scratch marks. <107> Yi Chen, unable to control himself, instinctively reached out to touch. As his hand touched the cold iron door in the painting¡­ creak¡ª the sound of the door hinges echoed within the brain domain. The gallery, rainwater, and phantoms ceased to exist, but he hadn¡¯t returned to Swan School¡­ instead, he fell into an even deeper layer of Consciousness Space, an Independent Space derived from his own consciousness. Even more real and undisturbed by the outside world. Yi Chen widened his eyes; he had never been so panicked and afraid before. ¡°How could this be¡­ Why did I end up here!?¡± His increasingly agitated emotions caused thin black threads to spread within his pupils until his eyes were entirely blackened. ¡°` Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 137 Facing Fear Chapter 138: Chapter 137 Facing Fear [Orphanage] The region that had the greatest impact on Yi Chen in his life; it was already unimaginable that he could walk out of the orphanage alive and return to normal society. At least in the known history of the orphanage, he was the only one who had left. Under the guidance of psychological experts arranged by the government, it took a whole two years for all memories related to the orphanage to be sealed deep within the consciousness space through ¡°locking,¡± and then replaced by a fabricated normal childhood through hypnosis. At least before Yi Chen transcended, there had not been any problems. However, as he arrived in a world infected with disease, filled with despair and death, those locked-away things began to slowly seep out of the lock, as if drawn by like kind. Yet, the ¡®orphanage experience¡¯ wasn¡¯t entirely bad; it was precisely because of such extreme and terrifying experiences that Yi Chen was able to survive various dangers and quickly adapt to such a pathological world after arriving in this place. The current thinking tests led by the principal caused Yi Chen to inadvertently fall into the deepest layer of consciousness, releasing the memories sealed away through the opportunity provided by the [Door]. The element of [Door] left a profound impression on Yi Chen during his time at the orphanage. Whether it was the iron door of the solitary confinement room, the dining hall¡¯s iron door, or the iron door of the play area, once they were shut, a price had to be paid to reopen them. The iron door that Yi Chen pushed open from between the paintings corresponded to his old dormitory [Room 107]. Looking back, The pitch-black, narrow room with rat holes crammed with six people¡¯s beds, Housing roommates who were skin and bones, covered with sores, and even missing fingers or skin, were enjoying a brief and peaceful night¡¯s rest. They were completely tamed, their brains would never entertain the idea of escaping. In Yi Chen¡¯s hand was the fine piece of wire he had painstakingly obtained that morning, successfully unlocking the dormitory door. Crackle and pop~ Grains of rain pelted the corridor windows frantically, with ceaseless thunder. During that afternoon¡¯s outdoor activities, by observing the changes in soil moisture, he deduced that tonight there would be a rare torrential downpour¡­ the perfect opportunity to escape. However, Yi Chen stood motionless at the door as a black substance corroded his eyes. Perhaps suddenly being transported back to scenes he least wanted to recall left him stunned and unable to accept his reality, Or perhaps he doubted whether the so-called escape from the orphanage, growing up, and the experience of transcendence were all just a fantasy, and that for more than twenty years, he had never left this place. Or perhaps he was preoccupied with some other thought, For standing at the dormitory door for such a long time, he missed the best chance to flee for his life. Minutes passed, and a harsh, nails-on-a-chalkboard sound carried from the end of the corridor: ¡°Yi Chen, what are you doing here? Thinking of running away again? And you managed to open a locked door¡­ that¡¯s just like you.¡± The source of the voice was a woman with her head growing upside down, her lips painted a bright red, her eyes like grainy pupils. The familiar voice triggered a ¡®stress response¡¯ in Yi Chen¡¯s body, making him instinctively tremble, Suddenly recalling some of the escape attempts by his peers, where other children in the orphanage were invited to witness the painful torture of those caught fleeing. However, When the specific details of the torture sprang to mind, Yi Chen became less afraid and instead remembered the joyful times spent with Tutor Zede in the Underground Paradise. His trembling body instantly steadied. Yi Chen suddenly turned his head, casting a gaze reserved for patients, ¡°I¡¯m not thinking of running away¡­ I just want to come out and execute all of you.¡± ¡°You seem to have some mental issues, being able to say such things. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you unless the headmaster gives a special order. Security, come and catch this little bugger.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Two security guards emerged from both ends of the corridor, their service guns not at their waists but instead implanted where heads should¡¯ve been, jutting out from their necks. One holding a studded leather strap, the other wielding a stun baton, they used their robust bodies to block off the corridor completely. Yi Chen, however, was not at all panicked. He stared at the empty wall before him¡­ and under the influence of his subjective consciousness, a glass cabinet with a fire axe materialized out of thin air. Elbow strike! Clang~ Glass shards scattered across the floor, and the appropriately weighted fire axe was firmly in Yi Chen¡¯s grasp. The two security guards closed in for a pincer attack, and the cocking of their head-guns could be heard. Sounds of chopping, striking, and gunfire filled the corridor. After a minute, Two muscular bodies lay in a pool of blood, Yi Chen, disregarding the bullets that had pierced his abdomen and thighs¡­ grasped the axe handle and yanked upwards! Woosh~ The fire axe lodged in a guard¡¯s back, along with blood and shattered bone, was pulled out, and he hoisted it back onto his shoulder. Furthermore, Yi Chen bent down and with his free left hand, grabbed one of the guards¡¯ ¡®gun-heads,¡¯ and pulled with force~ Muscles tearing¡­ the gun-head that had grown at the nape of his neck was uprooted, now clutched in his hand. One hand hoisting an axe, the other gripping a handgun, he twisted his body to the side, turned his head, and with bloodshot eyes, he glanced askance at the woman at the end of the corridor, ¡°You¡¯re next, Teacher.¡± ¡­ [Swan School] Hovering at the roof, Yi Chen just made the three-minute mark of the test, his body slowly descending from above. Whether it was Qian Bosen or Zede, or even his fellow peers, they all sweated bullets for him. But¡­ Though Yi Chen was descending slowly, his eyes had yet to open. He stood in a strange state on the ground, with strands of slightly black aura even seeping from the surface of his head. Whoosh! With eyes closed, he suddenly drew out the Hand Axe and his sidearm (Today, considering the test might involve real combat, Zede stuffed the weapons from his suitcase directly into Yi Chen¡¯s garments before leaving the house with them.) The handles of the gun and axe spun simultaneously in his left and right hands. After three and a half rotations, Pop! He grasped them both at the same time! The muscles in his calves tensed up completely, even revealing the plant veins bulging on their surface, and he lunged forward with a burst of speed that pushed the limits of humanity. Not only that, Yi Chen¡¯s body was also exuding two kinds of auras at the same time: a bright red Slaughter Aura and a black Death Aura that seemed to come from nowhere, which combined to form a dark red curtain. His target was none other than the principal, Daislin Baldivia. His right hand pulled back the axe, poised like a winding arm gathering strength, willing to lock onto the principal¡¯s delicate neck and chop her head off. His left hand adjusted the firearm to scatter mode, aiming at her shapely body, intending to slice her torso in half with a spray. In that moment, as Yi Chen¡¯s direct tutor, Zede was the first to scramble over the last row of desks, his toes elongating and thickening to improve his kicking power, his fingers increasing to thirteen to greatly enhance his Crawling speed, prepared to intercept Yi Chen while pleading for mercy from the principal, attributing Yi Chen¡¯s anomaly to the ¡°special training¡± and taking the blame as his tutor. On the other side, Professor Qian Bosen was also waving his arms, instantaneously casting magic to raise a wind wall in an attempt to block Yi Chen¡¯s impolite act. Sweat streamed down the sides of Qian Bosen¡¯s gray temples as he thought about how to plead with the principal and explain such aberrant behavior. However. Before Zede could arrive and while Qian Bosen¡¯s wind wall was still incomplete, the principal had already made her move. She didn¡¯t use any offensive attacks, nor did she dodge. Rather, she moved forward two steps and spread her arms wide. Before Yi Chen¡¯s attack could land, she embraced him in her arms¡­ gently stroking his head as if she were a mother, with a warm and tranquil voice drifting out from beneath her mask. ¡°It¡¯s okay now~ it¡¯s all right~¡± ¡­ [Consciousness Space] Yi Chen, his eyes bloodshot with hatred in the middle of charging at the old woman flipping her head, was suddenly enveloped by a pair of arms, sketched with the lines of the night sky, which broke through the barriers of consciousness from behind and held him tight¡­ with a forceful pull, he was yanked out from the Deep Layer area. The scenes around him scrolled backwards, the Orphanage teacher with her flipped head waving goodbye to the departing Yi Chen, a wicked smile on her red lips as if she was looking forward to their next encounter. Buzz! Consciousness returned. Yi Chen, whose eyes snapped open suddenly, was yet to adjust to the light within the school, as something soft completely covered them, and he felt the peculiar sensation of threads, skin, and flesh all intertwined, brushing against the front of his body. With each breath, a scent that could relax one¡¯s entire body filtered into his nostrils, compelling Yi Chen to immerse in the comforting embrace. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 138 Principals Advice Chapter 139: Chapter 138 Principal¡¯s Advice ¡°` The embrace lasted a full five minutes, and everyone inside the Swan School had turned into silent spectators, quietly watching everything unfold, not daring to speak or make any superfluous movements. Engaging in an act of direct exhibition of killing intent towards the Principal was something they had never encountered before; if they were to commit any disruptive offensive act at such a time, they might be remembered by the Principal and be settled with afterward. Zede, who had climbed halfway, was also stopped in place like a statue, stretching his Sensing ability to its fullest, feeling the situation in front of him. If the Principal showed any killing intent, or intended to cause irreversible harm to Yi Chen, he would, at all costs, forcibly interfere¡­ even if it meant becoming antagonistic towards the academy and facing direct trial by the organization. However, Zede did not have to wait for that situation to arise. Principal Daislin had no inclination whatsoever to harm the young man in her arms, and furthermore, while gently stroking Yi Chen¡¯s head, she was also transferring a kind of Galaxy Energy to him for ¡°Thought Calming¡±. It had been going on for five minutes without them realizing it. Even Qian Bosen, an old professor specializing in Intelligence, was extremely shocked by the scene; they had never seen anything like it. ¡°Being appointed by the organization to the position of Principal requires meeting several stringent conditions.¡± Those chosen as Principal, except for major reforms of the academy, generally do not intervene in routine matters. Their more important role is to ¡°hold the fort¡±. To ensure the Safety, Stability, and confidentiality of the academy, to guarantee the normal operation of the academy, and to further select and output ¡®Stable top-tier talents¡¯ for the organization. As the most Mysterious Principal among the past generations, Daislin seldom appears in public; she even only arrived temporarily at the end of the last meeting about the school¡¯s educational system reform, just to hear the results. This time, for such a common and Ordinary annual test, she actually appeared and led the test content herself. Professor Qian Bosen, who specializes in Intelligence, suddenly realized something, ¡°Daislin belongs to the Sensing Gentleman category, and her Star Formation ability surpasses all others in Zion, allowing her to some extent to foresee future trends. This proactive intervention and leadership in the annual test are no coincidence, but something she had observed in advance. Is it because of William?¡± ¡­ Yi Chen, the last tester, did not resist such an Embrace State. Part of the reason was the soothing effect on his Thought process brought about by the special touch; he had not relaxed like this for a long time. Another part was due to the self-examination, After appraising dozens of paintings, understanding and analyzing the meaning within, then extracting the core of the paintings to Combine them into a ¡°door¡±, Yi Chen had gained a great increase in his Basic Attributes ¨C ¡°Sensing¡±. Then touching the Deep Layer of his Consciousness, fully sinking into the ¡®past reality¡¯ created by his Thoughts, he had even killed a guard from the Orphanage who was a fusion of reality and the Void. All these experiences were stimulating his spirit, stimulating his Consciousness. In the fifth minute of the embrace, ancient texts slowly began emerging in his field of vision. ¡°Sensing Psyche¡± has increased from [3] to [4] *Special Note: Your cognition of Ancient Living Text has been enhanced, and you can now understand more obscure and complicated ancient character structures. In addition, your understanding of Pathological substances has improved, and corresponding enhancements to related weapons¡¯ effects will be achieved. ¡°Sensing¡­¡± At this moment, Yi Chen could feel more clearly and in greater detail the sensation of the firearm in his left hand, even sensing the flow of iron within and the gathering of bullets. He was even confident in manipulating the structure of the bullets inside, to shoot with greater power, more targeted shooting, and possibly add certain extra Attributes. He could also feel his Thoughts ¡®Diverging,¡¯ enabling him to receive the surrounding factors more clearly, deeply, and with understanding. Similarly, this allowed Yi Chen to feel more directly the current ¡°Embrace State¡± he was in, realizing that he had been in the arms of the Principal for nearly ten minutes, and that he was in a rather embarrassing position. ¡°` Just as he pondered how to appropriately and politely extricate himself from the current embrace, ¡°Such a good child~ To think you could touch such a deep area with the guidance of my thoughts, even improving [Sensing] during the test¡­ It seems you have a talent in this area as well,¡± came a gentle voice from the mask above, but Principal Daislin¡¯s hands showed no intention of letting go. ¡°Thank you, Principal Desline,¡± Yi Chen managed to squeeze out words of gratitude while pressed against her. ¡°Holding you is quite comfortable~ The skin on your body has no flaws and is of good concentration; you must have met the ¡®First Gentleman¡¯ at least once, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Professor Qian Bosen must have already told you about [Skin], so I won¡¯t go into detail. The improvement in [Sensing] will help you understand the essence of Skin.¡± At this moment, the embracing hands finally began to slowly loosen. Just as Yi Chen intended to step back and bow in thanks, Principal Daislin¡¯s attire swiftly rose up in strands of white silk, restricting him within a certain range, preventing him from stepping back, the distance between them not exceeding one meter. With the complete raise of the silk from the attire, the Principal¡¯s uniquely graceful figure, long white legs, and nearly one-hundred-ninety-centimeter height were fully exposed in Yi Chen¡¯s eyes. Once the silk area had fully formed, the outside world was completely shut out. Creating a temporary space for a dialogue between the two. ¡°Such a realistic gallery challenge, requiring interpretation and memory of each painting, and accompanied by a continuous influence of darkness and eeriness. The tests of other gentlemen are not even a third as difficult as yours; the fact that you found the [Door] within three minutes is enough to prove your talent in Sensing.¡± ¡°Sensing is your area of expertise, isn¡¯t it, Principal?¡± blurted Yi Chen. ¡°Correct¡­ Sensing is the quickest shortcut to understanding the world. Would you like to achieve mastery in Sensing?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Upon hearing Yi Chen¡¯s reply, a strange smile seemed to crack beneath the Crying Mask, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. I certainly don¡¯t have time to mentor you¡­ I have looked at your files, quite interesting. Half a year after enrolling, you spent all your time with that monster, Zede, gaining unique physical traits. In one year, you only carried out two tasks; one involving direct contact with Open Source patients by touching the dark side of the Clinic, the other a five-star difficulty assassination mission. For a newcomer with potential like you, ¡®Multi-extreme Breakthroughs¡¯ are indeed worth considering. If you also want to add [Sensing], you can proceed to the [Power Station] after the test is over.¡± ¡°Huh? Power Station.¡± In the knowledge Yi Chen had read, the Power Station was an area of extreme confidentiality and security, ensuring the electricity supply of Zion and also serving as a scientific research base. Any gentleman without a valid reason to approach the Power Station would receive a direct warning from the organization. At this time, the Principal took out a business card with a Star River background from within her attire and handed it to Yi Chen. ¡°With my card, you can directly gain access to the Power Station, and then you look for a newly-employed electrician ¨C Ludwig Reagan.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°My most promising student once. Unfortunately, he has some character issues, refused my goodwill, and left school early to go to the Power Station to loaf around¡­ Go and talk to him, it will be helpful for your Sensing. He¡¯s about your age, having enrolled just nine months before you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Principal.¡± ¡°If your Sensing reaches [6] within a year, you can apply to visit my office.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The conversation ended there, and the silk floating around dispersed, with the Principal also flapping her wings behind her, ascending into the air. Her body was outlined with layers of Galaxy Energy, piercing directly through the solid roof, vanishing into the Breathtaking Night Sky above the campus. At this, the eyes of all teachers and students within the Swan School were on Yi Chen, as murmurs began to rise. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 139 Looking for Someone Chapter 140: Chapter 139 Looking for Someone [Zede¡¯s Underground Office] This time, Professor Qian Bosen also followed to the underground area, obviously because of the ¡®Principal¡¯s¡¯ issue. Upon learning that the Principal hadn¡¯t imposed any punishment on Yi Chen, Qian Bosen also breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re lucky¡­ Besides Zede, no one dares to draw a knife against the Principal. Even those sitting at the highest ranks in the Organization would show respect to Principal Desline, yet you, kid, actually thought of beheading her.¡± Zede, on the side, added, ¡°Not just that, looking at the way he held the gun, he even wanted to blow Desline into two pieces.¡± ¡°Was it that serious?¡± Yi Chen was frightened into sweating bullets after learning about his unconscious actions, never having thought that his conscious behavior in the Orphanage would reflect directly into reality. Thinking about his dangerous moves and the Principal¡¯s ¡®care¡¯ shown at that time, Yi Chen¡¯s awe for the Principal transformed into a sort of fondness. ¡°Speaking of which, the Principal is actually pretty nice. Not only did she not pursue the matter, she even pointed out a growth path for me in ¡®Sensing¡¯.¡± Hearing this, Zede¡¯s expression immediately turned sour. ¡°That might be limited to you only, that old woman is not what you¡¯d call a good person. When she was originally hunting me down, she used every ruthless tactic available and wouldn¡¯t stop even after capturing me. Even before I had committed any offense, she enjoyed targeting me! I remember one meeting where she came over without a word and gave me a smack that almost split my skull open.¡± Qian Bosen shot a sideways glance, ¡°Zede, that was because you took off your shoes during the meeting and put your soles on the conference table, even starting to pick at your feet right in front of the Principal and many other professors.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I explain it at the time? I was working on a human body project during that period, and I personally tried it out. During the meeting, my toe nerves got all tangled up and pulled on my secondary nerves, constantly sending distress signals to my brain, making it unbearable. That¡¯s why I put my feet on the table, to adjust the nerves in my toes on the spot.¡± Zede grew more anxious as he spoke, and abruptly tore off his big toe, biting it in half with his teeth and pulling out the complex nerves inside to re-explain the situation to Qian Bosen. Seeing the situation getting out of hand, Yi Chen quickly changed the subject: ¡°Speaking of which, what kind of person is Ludwig Reagan, are the teachers familiar with him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know him¡­ Just hearing the name doesn¡¯t spark much interest.¡± Zede responded while reattaching his toe. However, Qian Bosen was very familiar with the name, ¡°Reagan, isn¡¯t he the gentleman who arrived at Zion nine months prior to you and enrolled in school? Like you, William, he is a ¡®Purple Letter¡¯ selectee.¡± ¡°A Purple¡­ eccentric gentleman?¡± ¡°This person is very special; it seems he came to Zion with a strong personal purpose. Initially, he refused to establish a mentor relationship with any professor. I paid attention to him for a while but did not make further contact. Later, for some reason, he caught the attention of Principal Desline and was even personally nurtured by her. Then, a few months later, Reagan chose to drop out and found a comfortable job at the Power Station.¡± ¡°Personal drawbacks?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, there could be other reasons. Since it¡¯s guidance given by the Principal, go and meet this person, maybe it really will help improve your Sensing. By the way, William, are you trying to raise your Physique, Intelligence, and Sensing Attributes to their limits?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try, if I really get all three Attributes to their limits, can I break through all at once?¡± Qian Bosen, however, shook his head, directly dismissing the idea: ¡°A Triple Breakthrough is basically impossible for a simple reason; any basic attribute looking to break through the ¡®Limit Barrier¡¯ needs a corresponding ¡®Relic¡¯. The umbilical cord you obtained is already a rare ¡®Dual Attribute Relic¡¯. To have all three attributes break through at once, you would need to have a matching ¡®Three Attribute Relic¡¯. If you search through the whole of Zion City, pulling up gentlemen¡¯s breakthrough records for the last fifty years, you¡¯ll find not a single ¡®Three Attribute Relic¡¯. Such relics can no longer be described as rare.¡± ¡°Then, is it possible to break through two first, then come back to break through the last one?¡± ¡°You have only one chance at an Extreme Breakthrough; you need to make your choice carefully. ¡°My suggestion is still to focus on Physique and Intelligence, and treat Sensing as a kind of extracurricular hobby. As for the umbilical cord Relic you currently possess, I will also try to find a trade channel here, to help you exchange it for a Relic of equivalent value that is related to Physique and Intelligence.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I have another meeting today, so let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± No sooner had Qian Bosen left than Zede hugged Yi Chen around the neck, cheek to cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, choose your own path¡­ What does it matter if similar examples can¡¯t be found in fifty years¡¯ worth of data? Why can¡¯t you become the example? At worst, it will just take a little more time. If I can apply for permission to leave, I will personally accompany you to the depths of the Grey Zone to find an opportunity.¡± However, Zede¡¯s words made Yi Chen laugh outright. ¡°What¡¯s so funny! I¡¯m very serious. Is it just because of a Three Attribute Relic?¡± ¡°Nothing, just thought of something happy¡­ Thank you, Teacher! I¡¯ll visit the Power Station and try to come back early tonight for some physical training.¡± ¡°Be careful. Since you were referred by Desline, there¡¯s a good chance she has an ulterior motive. If you die at the Power Station, I¡¯ll definitely avenge you.¡± ¡­ [Power Station] Full name: Electric-Power-and-Technology-Development-Center Hidden deep within the street area, concealed by a ¡®Mimicry Net¡¯ constructed out of multiple layers of magical barriers, it appears completely identical to residential buildings from the outside. One needs to go to the corresponding location and present the relevant permit to access the interior. Newcomers to Zion City who choose a Profession related to ¡®electricity¡¯ during Letter Selection will immediately receive an invitation from the Power Station, along with extremely generous remuneration. If the Profession is unrelated to electricity, individuals who exhibit a talent for scientific research during their growth will also receive an invitation. Of course, it¡¯s also possible to become a member through external employment tests. As long as Zion has not fallen, employees of the Power Station can enjoy a quality life, without any worries about everyday matters. When Yi Chen arrived at the street near the Power Station, more than ten gentlemen were already lined up there filling out application forms. ¡°Excuse me, please let me through.¡± Yi Chen squeezed through the crowd to the front, and looked at a worker whose left arm had been replaced with a prosthetic limb and who wore mechanical, spring-driven spectacles. A careful observation would reveal the flow of electric currents inside the prosthetic limb. Without further ado, he showed the Principal¡¯s business card. ¡°I¡¯d like to see Ludwig Reagan.¡± The worker took the card and upon seeing the name, his eyes widened immediately. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Reagan is on leave today, he didn¡¯t come to work at the Power Station¡­ If you¡¯re in a hurry, you can find him here.¡± The worker was extremely enthusiastic in assisting, even pulling out a deeply hidden staff registration form to confirm Reagan¡¯s residence. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± When Yi Chen arrived at the corresponding apartment building, he quickly found the special apartment number ¨C [000] recorded in the register, which corresponded to a completely unlit and damp underground low-rent apartment. Intending to knock, he found the door was not even locked, Yi Chen felt something was amiss and stealthily slipped inside, treading lightly. Circling the messy living room, he pushed open the slightly ajar bedroom door, to find a young man with a round, protruding belly deep asleep on the bed, still holding a novel titled ¡°Neurological Chronicles¡± in his hands. On the bedside table were pure metal crafted figurines of young girls, apparently all handcrafted by him. Although these figurines wore different clothes and poses, their facial features were almost identical. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 140 Ludwig Reagan Chapter 141: Chapter 140 Ludwig Reagan ¡°It seems he just plain forgot to close the door¡­ Speaking of which, it¡¯s past four in the afternoon already, and there are only last night¡¯s leftovers outside. Did this guy really sleep till now? That¡¯s even worse than some of my roommates in college when I was alive.¡± Considering the principal¡¯s arrangement, Yi Chen didn¡¯t wake the other person up but started cleaning up the incredibly messy low-rent house that hadn¡¯t been cleaned for at least a week. He waited until it was past six in the evening. Intense hunger awoke Reagan, and he was in a state between sleep and wakefulness. He walked to the living room with the inertia of his thoughts and picked up the rotary phone to order some food. However, his routine thinking failed to locate the phone because its position had changed. This break from the routine swiftly brought him to full awareness, And seeing the room clean as new stunned Reagan momentarily, He even suspected that he had slept over at someone else¡¯s house until he caught a glimpse of a girl¡¯s figurine by his bedroom bed, confirming this was his own rental. At that moment, a handsome young man dressed in an Ivy League-style black suit emerged from the kitchen, holding a freshly roasted chicken and steak-based meals in his hand. Seeing such delicious food, Reagan¡¯s mouth watered instantly, and his stomach made an embarrassing rumbling sound. ¡°Mr. Reagan, have you awakened? When I came over, I found that your door was unlocked so I let myself in and helped clean up a bit. It was just about dinner time, so I bought some ingredients from outside and cooked them.¡± Reagan didn¡¯t show any displeasure about the other person entering his home without permission, instead, he saw the young man before him as nothing short of an angelic presence and even faintly spotted a halo over his head. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°William Behrens from O.C.A. I¡¯ve come here as there are a few matters I¡¯d like to consult you about.¡± Upon hearing Yi Chen was from the academy, his expression changed slightly, but he still accepted the kind gesture, ¡°From the academy? Let¡¯s talk over dinner, I¡¯ve overslept and missed lunch, I¡¯m really starving.¡± Reagan temporarily suppressed his hunger, went back to his room to change into a wrinkled shirt and trousers, barely managing to completely encompass his belly. After a quick freshening up and hair fix, he returned to the living room, his belly protruding. Reagan was about the same height as Yi Chen, but with the flesh hanging on his face, a multi-layered chin, and shirt buttons that seemed about to burst, his physique was somewhat exaggerated. In this world system where most people lived, few associated with obesity, let alone members of organizations responsible for curing diseases, who generally had decent physiques due to daily intense training. Yi Chen estimated that Mr. Reagan¡¯s ¡°Physique¡± was probably only 2, or even lower. In less than ten minutes, Reagan had devoured food enough for five people. The button that had been restraining the belly pouch, having been strained for a long time, finally reached its limit, and pop! It flew off like a bullet, rebounding several times on the ceiling before landing precisely in front of Reagan. This was no coincidence, as Yi Chen had just vaguely sensed some kind of energy manipulation. Reagan said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your cooking skills are even better than the head chef at Sam¡¯s Kitchen! I couldn¡¯t help myself and ate a bit too much.¡± Reagan casually put the button back at the breaking point, magically fixing it and reinforcing it in an instant. ¡°So, what did you want to talk about? I should mention that I am very busy, I have to work tomorrow, and if you need help with something, I definitely won¡¯t have the time.¡± ¡°Nothing much, I just learned by chance that Mr. Reagan has a great talent in ¡®Sensing,¡¯ and I specifically came to ask if there is any experience or special training method you might share.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t directly bring up the principal, as he believed Reagan¡¯s dropout might be related to the principal¡¯s ¡®favor¡¯. ¡°Is that so? Everyone is indeed working hard¡­ My experience is quite laughable. I have no interest in personal growth at all; if I can slack off, I definitely will to the fullest. Initially at the academy, it was fine, I only needed to attend two classes a week. Somehow, I got targeted and they wanted me to do this and that, so I dropped out and started working a nine-to-five job at a power plant. I must say, the feeling of laying low is really great.¡± ¡°Mr. Reagan, may I ask how much your ¡®Sensing¡¯ attribute is?¡± ¡°Just extend your hand; there¡¯s no need to be secretive about such things.¡± When Yi Chen touched Reagan¡¯s fatty shoulder, his retina immediately received the shared information. ¡ÚProfession: Prototype Master¡Û ¡ÚRank: Human¡Û ¡ÚBasic Attributes¡Û [Physique]: 1 [Motorics]: 5 [Intellect]: 5 [Psyche]: 7 [Luck]: 4 ¡ÚProfessional Characteristics¡Û ¡°Heavenly Connection (Passive)¡±: Born with the capability to more easily comprehend and sense the essence of things and the connections among them, the upper limit of [Sensing] increases, adding the seventh tier ¨C ¡°7. Transcend¡±. Allows an individual to transcend their limits of sensing and breakthrough to reach a higher standard. ¡°Prototype Control (Active)¡±: Targets different materials for microscopic rearrangement, control, and even the creation of entirely new entities. *This ability is limited to inorganic matter, and its effectiveness is drastically reduced when applied to organic matter, especially those with self-awareness. Control intensity, microscopic depth, and the complexity of creation are directly related to the [Sensing] value. ¡­ ¡°Such high values!¡± Yi Chen was startled by such personal data, with only the physique significantly weak, while the rest was extremely high. The most terrifying was Sensing, which actually reached the rare [7]. No wonder the principal, also part of the sensing system, wanted to personally nurture him. For such attribute values, Reagan did not care at all, ¡°Although my job is stable, I still have quite a few competitors. So I still spend a bit of time practicing ¡®Professional Ability¡¯ to keep myself from being fired.¡± In his speech, Reagan even deliberately pointed to those girl models in his room, seemingly the result of his practice. ¡°How did you improve your sensing?¡± ¡°Well~ I didn¡¯t specifically focus on improving it. I usually like to stay in a quiet and enclosed environment, think about human body models, and then manually create them. This process might take a week or even a month. Many times, I was so engrossed in thinking that the value increased on its own.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Yi Chen found it hard to accept such an answer. ¡°Not all were like this, though. When my Sensing reached [6], it caught the attention of the academy. Later, under the guidance of Principal Daislin, it took about two months to reach [7]. I indeed tasted the sweetness of it, and there was a time when I wanted to reach a higher level. But Principal Daislin insisted that I should follow a squad into the depths of the Grey Zone to seek a suitable [Relic] for me. This was not acceptable. The death rate was too high¡­ I was not yet prepared to die, so I chose to drop out and lead an easier life.¡± At this point, a realization suddenly dawned on Yi Chen. ¡°Such genius experience has no reference value. His unique profession and talent decide his unique growth path, which others simply cannot replicate. The principal¡¯s real purpose, could it be he wants me to motivate this lazy man to grow? The difficulty of getting such a seasoned person out is comparable to killing a Severe Patient, let alone convincing him to journey through the Grey Zone and transcend the Limit of Man. Forget it~ I should figure out ¡®Sensing¡¯ by myself, and Jin also has a high sensing, surely there are training channels to enhance sensing in Cesimani.¡± ¡°Thanks for sharing, let¡¯s leave it at that then. Goodbye, Mr. Reagan!¡± ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t help you more¡­ Take care.¡± With his belly full, Reagan had no intention to stand up and just waved goodbye while sitting. Just as Yi Chen was about to give up the path provided by the principal and was about to leave the cheap underground rental, a female voice severely interfered by electromagnetic noise suddenly came from behind: ¡°The graveyard (zzz)¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± This strange sound, mixed with a sense of danger, even forced the little grape to pop out of the neckline and look back inside the cheap rental. Behind Reagan, who was waving goodbye, floated a semi-transparent female corpse. Partly decayed flesh connected to withered bones via various electrical cables, with most of the body¡¯s nerves and blood vessels also replaced by wires. The tongue in the female corpse¡¯s mouth was also covered with dense holes, resembling the speaker ports of a walkie-talkie, from which the electromagnetic interference noises were emanating. ¡°What is this? Why haven¡¯t I noticed it before¡­¡± The little grape responded telepathically: ¡°Emits the aura of a graveyard, might belong to the same kind as me, yet fundamentally different¡­ Her state is strange, between physical and ethereal, and completely reliant on this obese human.¡± ¡°From the Organization¡¯s graveyard? Could it mean¡­¡± Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 141 True Face Chapter 142: Chapter 141 True Face ¡°Mr. Reagan, have you ever been to a ¡®Cemetery¡¯ under the organization?¡± When Yi Chen, who had paused in front of the door, asked this question, the atmosphere in the ordinary room suddenly changed. Clack! The iron door of the rental closed on its own without any contact. Yi Chen also noticed that this seemed to be caused by some kind of psychic power, ¡°Just like when the button fell off before, could this be the influence of the mind over reality? Is this what Sensing 7 is like?¡± Just then, Reagan, who had been too lazy to get up, actually started to clear the tableware. After tidying up the living room, he sat back down in his original seat. His fingers interlocked and rested on the tabletop as he gazed at Yi Chen with a seriousness he had never shown before, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, shall we talk some more?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As soon as Yi Chen sat back down in his original seat, he could feel a sense of suppression on a mental level. Such a sense of oppression could never belong to an idler who was content with just getting by. Even a real genius would have to have experienced killing and life-and-death situations to give off such a sensation. In fact, Yi Chen had felt a dissonance from the moment he arrived at the underground rental place. Why would a formal employee of the Power Station live in such cheap accommodation, and choose to just get by despite having such high Attributes? As Yi Chen pointed out the keyword ¡®Cemetery¡¯, the purposely hidden false surface began to peel away on its own. Ludwig Reagan started to reveal his true face willingly. Reagan gazed into Yi Chen¡¯s eyes and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you¡­ see it?¡± ¡°I can see it¡­ or more accurately, she intentionally let me see it. Perhaps this lady sensed the residual aura of the Cemetery on me, after all, I too emerged from a ¡®Cemetery¡¯ under the organization.¡± As Yi Chen spoke, he deliberately shifted his gaze behind Reagan, nodding in acknowledgement at the ghostly image of the woman¡¯s corpse. ¡°You were a Tomb Guardian? Which Cemetery was it?¡± ¡°The Seven-Day Cemetery.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it; it seems to be a relatively small and special Cemetery.¡± As he spoke, Reagan seemed to realize something and shook his head with resignation, continuing, ¡°Is it really such a coincidence? Since I dropped out, I¡¯ve never had underclassmen come looking for me at the Power Station¡­ You¡¯re the first, and you¡¯re connected to the Cemetery, no less. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must have been Principal Desline who sent you, right?¡± Yi Chen did not hide the fact and placed the principal¡¯s business card on the table, starting to recount the events briefly. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s roughly it. Although it¡¯s a referral from the principal, it¡¯s mainly because I need something from you, an improvement in Perception.¡± At that moment, Yi Chen suddenly leaned forward, his right forearm moving atop the wooden table, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the surface, trying to take control of the conversation: ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, Mr. Reagan, you dropped out and came to the Power Station, perhaps also guided by the principal. The reason she was willing to let go of a talented student like you could very well be because you met the ¡®requirements¡¯ she set early on. For example, achieving a ¡®Transcend¡¯ level of Sensing within a short time¡­ what you call easily reaching Sensing 7 is not actually easy; you must have paid an extraordinary price and made considerable effort. Or to put it another way, from the moment you stepped into Zion, you have been striving, using every minute to grow.¡± Hearing this, Reagan smiled faintly, not denying Yi Chen¡¯s conjecture, ¡°Is there more?¡± Since the other party didn¡¯t seem to mind, Yi Chen continued: ¡°Mr. Reagan, you have been ceaselessly improving your ¡®Perception,¡¯ and you gave up the resources from Principal Desline, even abandoning your status as a student to come to the Power Station. It has never been because you wanted to take it easy; rather, only the Power Station could possibly help you achieve your ¡®Purpose,¡¯ a goal of extremely high difficulty and almost without precedent. You¡¯re trying to resurrect the lady behind you through ¡®technological¡¯ means related to ¡®electricity.¡¯ Clearly, you¡¯ve made some progress, enabling her to exist in a special state between tangible and intangible. Without relying on any power-generating device, just by drawing on the ¡®Biological Electricity¡¯ generated by your body, she can continue to exist. She has even regained a certain level of consciousness and can respond to the aura of the Cemetery on me. But to fully restore her consciousness is still far from enough.¡± ¡°Before you achieve that purpose, you¡¯ll continue your research at the power station,¡± Hearing such a detailed hypothesis, Reagan couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly, slowly reverting to his usual couch potato demeanor, ¡°Just as you¡¯ve said, until Faye regains full consciousness, I must stay at the power station and continue my research on the ¡®Consciousness Circuit Diagram.''¡± ¡°Could you tell me more about Miss Faye¡¯s situation? Maybe I can help.¡± ¡°If anyone in Zion could help, Principal Daislin wouldn¡¯t have directed me to find a solution at the power station by myself¡­ However, Faye seems to like your aura, so it doesn¡¯t hurt to talk about it. I am deeply grateful to the organization and for the cemetery it has established, which allowed me to glimpse hope amid utter despair. About ten years ago, I carried the remaining half of Faye¡¯s spine alone to a large cemetery that required five Tomb Guardians¡ªCamberley Cemetery. Just as the cemetery was hiring, my exceptional Perception Ability helped me easily pass the interview to become a Tomb Guardian¡­ and then I made a request to the manager there. During my employment, Faye¡¯s spine needed to be buried in a special grave site with a ¡®resurrection effect.¡¯ The manager agreed, but in exchange, I had to take on the workload of two people, work continuously for nine years without any salary. Perhaps the manager never believed I could work for nine years and leave alive, but I did. After nine years, I dug up Faye¡¯s grave, and she ¡®grew into a person¡¯ as she wished. From the remaining spine, she grew into a complete human body, with all dimensions and facial features the same as before, and she was even growing. Unfortunately, her brain was destroyed, and the cemetery couldn¡¯t form her consciousness. Following the chief¡¯s advice, I dragged her body, participated in the organization¡¯s assessment and passed, then brought her to Zion City seeking a way to restore her consciousness. Just as you guessed, the principal made a bet with me, if I could reach [7] in Sensing within six months, she would write me a letter of recommendation to the power station. It would allow me to become an exceptional researcher, borrow Zion¡¯s scientific achievements and the Power Station¡¯s equipment, to reshape consciousness from scratch. However, this process is more complex than I had imagined. Even though I¡¯ve been researching day and night, combining my own ability with the resources of the research institute, I¡¯ve only managed to make her a semi-entity through the ¡®Virtual Grid,¡¯ capable of the simplest forms of consciousness via electrical conduction. This level of consciousness is far from enough; I still need a greater technological breakthrough. It might happen tomorrow, or maybe in ten, twenty years.¡± Yi Chen nodded silently, delving further into his thoughts before suggesting: ¡°Your Sensing has already reached a transcendent value like [7]. If you can make a breakthrough with a Relic, your ability as a Prototype Master will undergo a qualitative change, and you might quickly achieve a technical breakthrough, or perhaps even create consciousness yourself.¡± Reagan, however, shook his head, ¡°Faye lost everything in the Grey Zone, and with great effort, I only brought out her spine. Now she is slowly recovering, and through the ¡®Virtual Grid,¡¯ she is completely tied to me. I don¡¯t want to take such risks again, nor do I want to awaken her nightmare memories from the Grey Zone. Let¡¯s leave it at that, I¡¯m glad to have talked so much with you, and Faye is happy too¡­ Thank you, Mr. William! I¡¯ll take the time to write down my experiences with Sensing in detail and mail them to you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing his firm resolve, Yi Chen didn¡¯t linger. After Yi Chen, an unexpected visitor related to the cemetery, left, Miss Faye, who should have turned into a microcurrent and returned to Reagan¡¯s body, showed no signs of disappearing. Suddenly, she moved her body, leaned into Reagan¡¯s ear, and with her tongue full of small holes, she emitted bursts of electromagnetic sound¡­ expressing some kind of desire with simple words. ¡°Follow¡­ go.¡± After saying that, she disappeared. Reagan sat for a long while, then walked to the bedroom, and rummaged through a drawer under a stack of girl figurines with identical faces to find a metal cigarette case. He took out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth, ignited the tip with a spark from his snapping fingers, and as he blew out a smoke ring, he pulled out an old photo hidden in the cigarette case¡ª[A ten-year-old girl dressed as an electrician, hitting a handsome young boy¡¯s head with a wrench] Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 142 Beili Instructors Arrangement Chapter 143: Chapter 142 Beili Instructor¡¯s Arrangement A week after the meeting with Ludwig Reagan. At the Omphalo-Centric Academy, Yi Chen woke up in his dorm room, preparing to head to Zed¡¯s Paradise for today¡¯s physical training, Ding Ding! The dormitory phone rang, a rare occurrence. This call was from outside the academy, and as soon as he picked it up, a greeting filled with killing intent sounded from the receiver. ¡°Hello! Good morning, Mr. William. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Jin, aren¡¯t you involved with the academy tests recently? Moreover, there¡¯s a pile of things to be done, and Teacher Zed has been dragging me to training every day; I¡¯ve had no time to leave the school.¡± ¡°The teacher wants to talk to both of us, you have ten minutes.¡± ¡°Alright, wait¡­¡± Before he could finish, the call was abruptly disconnected. Yi Chen was not flustered at all. He first hurried to the bathroom for a quick cold shower, then touched the gentleman¡¯s clothes hanging on the rack with his wet fingers. The sensation between skin and fabric caused the clothes to wriggle on their own, fitting themselves to his skin, fastening every button, and smoothing out each wrinkle. He picked up his briefcase and took the school train to depart. Just as he stepped into Cesimani¡¯s orchard, a wave of danger attacked him from beside. Yi Chen immediately supported himself on the ground with one hand, executing a streamlined and superfast roll to the side¡­ Unfortunately, his shoulder was still grasped as he rose. A colorful mask was thrust directly onto his face. The familiar aura of danger stimulated the trembling of the plants inside Yi Chen and the wriggling of his clothes. ¡°Jin! It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yo~ Your reaction has gotten faster. It seems that you indeed have been very busy every day. I guess I can forgive you.¡± Yi Chen also noticed Jin¡¯s change; her speed seemed faster than before, and the little pet on her shoulder appeared more stable. When he saw Yi Chen, the little pet opened its chicken wings like a gentleman and bent its chicken neck at a 45¡ã angle to bow. However, what Yi Chen was most concerned about was the sword Jin carried on her back. This sword was forged from materials that had once glimpsed scenes of the Old World, only a step away from Open Source ¡°Aberrant Holy Embryo ¨C Marcos,¡± paired with suitable materials chosen from the organization¡¯s treasure vault, and finally crafted by a blacksmith in Cesimani, who specialized in executioner weapons. The sword handle looked ordinary, wrapped with real leather straps to increase friction, the scabbard was dark red with flesh-colored patterns resembling floating clouds, the real appearance and effect of the sword blade were unknown, through the scabbard, Yi Chen could smell the familiar scent of new life from the depths of the Church. ¡°This sword might inherit the super regeneration powers like Marcos, in Jin¡¯s hands it would surely unleash its maximum potential¡­ With this, even diving into the Grey Zone would ensure sufficient confidence.¡± ¡°Jin, how does the new weapon feel to use?¡± ¡°What, do you want to try it? Should I apply for a duel arena where we can spar?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s first see what Teacher Beili wants from us¡­¡± Yi Chen was still quite afraid of sparring with Jin; it didn¡¯t matter if he won or lost, the main issue was that Jin never held back and it could even lead to life-threatening dangers. Speaking of the teacher¡¯s matter, Jin also showed a face full of excitement, ¡°If all goes as expected, it should be ¡®that matter.¡¯ I¡¯m really looking forward to it, curious how the teacher will arrange it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In the office stacked with collected fingers. Teacher Beili changed into a white shirt and leather waistcoat, still only wearing black long stockings below, This time she wasn¡¯t admiring the fingers she cherished; instead, she was seriously reviewing a new file from the organization, which recorded events information well-suited for Yi Chen and Jin. ¡°You two should already know why I¡¯ve called you, right? Jin had reached ¡®Human Limits¡¯ a long time ago, and as for you, William, you¡¯re almost there, aren¡¯t you? Ever since you came back from Jose Valley, I¡¯ve been looking for a ¡®Relic Event¡¯ that could match both of you. Finally, last night I received an expedited document and judging by its contents, it suits your first distant journey well. A while ago, A squad conducting an investigation mission in a Thin Natural Grey Zone unexpectedly discovered that this zone was showing a trend of transformation and intensification, with a small area already reaching the Middle Level. They also discovered a previously unrecorded and unexplored ¡°Newborn Tunnel.¡± The organization had promptly dispatched a ¡°Tunnel Watcher¡± to the site of the tunnel, and had already confirmed the tunnel¡¯s connectivity, specifications, and rating. The organization will arrange for three qualified squads to proceed together, using the Newborn Tunnel to search for Relics of the Old World. However, this relic event has several mandatory conditions. 1. The squad size must be ¡°three people,¡± which relates to the rules of this Grey Zone. 2. All squad members¡¯ Perception must not be lower than ¡°3,¡± and at least one person must pass the basic exam of the Ancient Living Text. Moreover, The so-called ¡°Newborn Tunnel¡± means never explored before, highly unknown, you might find a Rare Relic, or you might end up finding nothing and instead become infected with a disease. Of course, the Newborn Tunnel is very much in demand, and perhaps many squads will apply by then. Are you interested?¡± ¡°Certainly, I am eager to try out my weapons in the Grey Zone,¡± Jin was never one to refuse. She was always motivated by missions, and she fully trusted her instructor¡¯s judgment. Yi Chen¡¯s attitude was different. This event involving touching the real Grey Zone and connecting to the channels of the Old World was a first for both him and Jin, and some things had to be asked clearly: ¡°I have several questions.¡± ¡°Ask.¡± ¡°Why does the organization still deliberately arrange three squads to create a competitive situation in an unknown Grey Zone full of disease risks?¡± ¡°Competition is an innate human trait; the stimulation from ¡®competition¡¯ can significantly increase your survival chances. If one gentleman can break Limit, the sacrifice is worth it. Moreover, enough people increase the likelihood of finding a Relic. After all, every time a tunnel is entered, the chance of it being discovered increases. The probability of discovering a Newborn Tunnel is the smallest, and the organization will not waste such an opportunity. Any other questions?¡± ¡°If Jin and I decide to apply, according to the requirements, we need three people¡­ is there an arrangement for Beili the instructor on this side?¡± ¡°Gentlemen from the same batch as you in Cesimani are basically unwilling to team up with Jin, so this ¡®third person¡¯ must be found by yourselves. You have 18 hours to confirm your choice, and then I will submit your squad¡¯s list in the name of Cesimani. If not many teams apply, we will arrange your departure soon and provide more detailed event information.¡± ¡°Alright, we will confirm the third person as soon as possible.¡± Although Yi Chen¡¯s face was expressionless, he was actually excited. He had been waiting so long and could also interpret the Ancient Living Text. He had always wanted to personally explore a channel that leads to the Old World and discover the essence of the so-called Old World. A few minutes later, Yi Chen and Jin had returned to the street area. Regarding the third person, Jin first proposed her idea. ¡°William, the guy called Dash something who defeated me in strength last time, he should be good, right? To have that kind of power, he must also have a strong physique.¡± ¡°Darkberg? His Physique is already at ¡°6,¡± progressing toward ¡°7.¡± However, he might not follow us, as he is in a team with Edmund. I have already left them, and if I also take Darkberg away, I really would be a villain.¡± ¡°Why bother thinking about all that? Just ask him directly. If he¡¯s willing to come, then let him come~¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask Professor Qian Bosen; with his connections, perhaps he can find us a suitable candidate, and at the same time, I¡¯ll report this Relic event to him.¡± ¡°What a hassle¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s really no other choice, then I¡¯ll ask Darkberg, alright?¡± As the two were heading to the train platform, just past a certain street, a familiar voice came from behind, ¡°William Behrens?¡± Turning around towards the voice, a plump young man wearing glasses stood behind them, seemingly unfamiliar yet with a hint of familiarity¡­ ¡°Mr. Ludwig? Is that you?¡± Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 143 Candidates Chapter 144: Chapter 143 Candidates Beneath the trimmed and washed fluffy brown short hair was the slightly plump face of a young man with a healthy complexion. Though still carrying a bit of excess fat, it did not affect the distribution of his facial features. The navy blue sports suit featured flat lapels with single-row metal buttons, matched with a British-style striped legion tie, authentic British slant pockets, cotton twill khaki trousers, and brown brogue leather shoes. The belly that should have put great pressure on the buttons had shrunk considerably and now protruded only slightly. Due to the significant changes in his appearance and physique, Yi Chen didn¡¯t recognize him at first glance. It was only by his voice and facial features that Yi Chen recognized this disciple of the principal¡ªLudwig Reagan. ¡°Mr. Reagan, is that really you?¡± ¡°Yes, my body was really quite embarrassing before. I never expected that immersing myself in research and snacks could make one gain weight so quickly. I spent a whole week reshaping my physique and barely managed to bring my physique back to [2]. After our conversation last week, I thought seriously about it for one night and finally decided to accept your proposal to go out and seek opportunities. As for the job at the power station, it¡¯s temporarily on hold. The station manager was quite amiable and told me to take care of things before returning to work.¡± Yi Chen had a complicated expression, the situation being a bit too coincidental, ¡°We just happen to be dealing with a relic incident here and are short of one person to report it. Are you sure you want to join, Mr. Reagan?¡± ¡°It seems my luck is quite good today; could you explain more about the incident?¡± Just as the two were having an enjoyable conversation, Jin stepped quickly in between them, stretching his neck and sizing up the individual whose physique had only returned to [2], whose aura was clearly unstable, and who had been invited to become the ¡®third person¡¯. However, As Jin approached this person to a certain extent, her slaughter instinct immediately sensed a uniquely dangerous aura¡­ This danger was strange, cold, and bizarre, unlike any individual she had encountered even in Cesimani. At that moment, Yi Chen placed his hand on Jin¡¯s shoulder, taking the role of mediator as he introduced them: ¡°Jin, this is Ludwig Reagan. Like me, he is a chosen one of the Purple Letter. Due to the professional raise in his Sensing Limit, his Sensing value has reached the Transcendent Level¡ª[7]. Mr. Reagan is quite remarkable.¡± Upon hearing Yi Chen¡¯s introduction, Jin became even more interested. ¡°Oh? A rare Transcendent Level Profession¡­ With such high perception, it could indeed be very helpful in exploring the Gray Domain, maybe even help us quickly Lock in strong enemies in the Gray Domain. Nice, come join us!¡± Yi Chen also stepped forward to introduce his partner, ¡°Mr. Reagan, this is Jin Almeda from Cesimani. Her strength is above mine.¡± Reagan seemed unfazed by Jin¡¯s impolite behavior. His extraordinary Sensing let him discern that within this female Gentleman¡¯s body lurked an incredible and terrifying power, which in some respects had surpassed the ¡®Limit of Man.¡¯ At the same time, the weapon Jin carried also made him feel a sense of danger. Reagan, who had studied at the academy, had silently observed his peers and the students from the year above and below, had never seen such a formidable peer Gentleman. He even faintly perceived behind Jin, from the Aura gathered, a slaughter demon filled with Slaughter Knives and decorated with Red Lotus Tattoos, extremely terrifying. Despite sensing a kind of obsessive madness from within Jin that might cause the team to become somewhat unstable. But this instability was negligible compared to her strength. The three casually chose a less crowded alley instead of going to a bar or restaurant, and quickly discussed the details of the ¡®relic incident.¡¯ ¡°From rare to moderate natural Gray Domain, a new passage, and the involvement of three small teams? The risk factor indeed isn¡¯t high; it¡¯s a very good mission, likely to attract many teams competing for the opportunity. By the way, if we do obtain relics from the incident, how shall they be allocated?¡± ¡°By the main Attributes of each individual, all Sensing Type relics shall belong to you, Mr. Reagan¡­ We do hope to obtain several relics.¡± ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled!¡± Reagan, with a sunny smile, officially became the third member of the team. ¡°Great.¡± Yi Chen was also extremely delighted; he hadn¡¯t expected that the groundwork he¡¯d laid a week ago would emerge right at the necessary time today, filling the mandatory requirements of the incident. ¡°The relic incident is registered in Cesimani; we need your ID, Mr. Reagan, so a senior officer can report it for us to the organization¡¯s higher ups. We should have the results in about a day.¡± Reagan directly handed over his gentleman¡¯s certificate while pondering the issue of time. ¡°So there¡¯s only one day to prepare, right? Then I¡¯ll trouble Mr. William to submit the personal information. I need to make a trip back to the Power Station, as there are some necessary items that need to be organized and assembled¡­ some things related to Faye.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s meet directly at Gentleman Hall tomorrow, and I¡¯ll return the gentleman¡¯s certificate to you then.¡± As Reagan departed, Jin suddenly leaned his head against Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, an intimacy that made the latter instinctively shiver, ¡°William, I didn¡¯t expect you to have already started scouting for new team members and kept it hidden from me. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve met such a peculiar individual, not even Cesimani has such ¡®oddities¡¯.¡± ¡°Jin, did you notice anything?¡± ¡°On the surface, he appears to adhere to so-called gentlemanly etiquette, pretending to be harmless. ¡°In reality, he harbors a ¡®violent nature¡¯. I cannot directly see it, but my instincts don¡¯t lie¡­he¡¯s killed nearly as many as I have.¡± ¡°Mr. Reagan indeed wears a mask far more secretive than ordinary people, but I have already seen his ¡®True Face¡¯ under that mask. His nature isn¡¯t evil, and he possesses a strong sense of personal purpose. With his assistance, our chances of finding the Relic will be significantly increased.¡± At this point, Jin hooked the collar of Yi Chen¡¯s shirt with his finger, leaned out, and sniffed closely, as if identifying some peculiar scent. ¡°Even more secretive? Is it more secretive than yours, William? I can smell the strange aura inside you~ It¡¯s precisely because of this that I became interested in you upon our first meeting¡­It seems this ¡®strange scent¡¯ inside you has become slightly stronger. Has something happened recently?¡± ¡°Nothing much, let¡¯s quickly report our names to the instructor.¡± ¡­ [Cesimani] When Ludwig Reagan¡¯s gentleman¡¯s certificate was handed to Beili, she immediately pulled up his information using Cesimani¡¯s internal network, and part of the information was even confidential. ¡°A researcher from the Power Station? Where did you find this guy? It¡¯s not easy at all! Such a talented individual of the Transcendent Level in Sensing, and it¡¯s his first mission related to the Relic? If he were made public, I wonder how many teams would scramble for him.¡± Yi Chen explained briefly, ¡°A while ago, due to a chance encounter, I met Reagan. He initially had no plans to leave the city¡­I might have convinced him.¡± ¡°The choice of this ¡®Third Person¡¯ is excellent. Make good use of his ¡®Sensing¡¯; I have a feeling your outing this time will yield great results.¡± As Instructor Beili reported the team¡¯s information, the organization¡¯s higher-ups immediately took special note of the unique name ¡®Ludwig Reagan¡¯ as soon as they received the report. Immediately, they dispatched a thin, black-clad gentleman wearing a demon mask to bring a hand-copied document of the team to someone. [Ten minutes later] Omphalo-Centric-Academy, atop the Fetal Heart Church¡¯s principal¡¯s office Clad only in floating feather wings, as if bathing in the starry sky, Principal Daislin received the secret document delivered by the organization¡¯s higher-ups. When she saw the name on it, a gentle chuckle reverberated through the principal¡¯s office, and her wings unfolded, carrying her to the spacious stargazing balcony where one could oversee the entire campus and breathe the freshest air. ¡°So the ¡®cemetery¡¯ star formation has indeed caused these two to intersect? Reagan, deeply immersed in consciousness studies, hasn¡¯t engaged in actual combat for a long time, and his physical condition has severely deteriorated; heading directly to the Gray Domain might not suit him. Let¡¯s have the organization¡¯s guys busy themselves a bit.¡± Principal Daislin wrote a reply, sealed it with her unique starry night feather wax seal, and gently tossed it upward. The campus night wind then carried this letter, delivering it all the way from the campus into the hands of the messenger who had brought it. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Transformation Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Transformation ¡°` Since the list had been submitted, the organization would select three suitable squads from the submitted names citywide by tomorrow, to head to this naturally occurring Grey Zone where a ¡°tunnel¡± had formed. Inside Zion, several squads were making preparations for this. [Power Station] An ancient castle structure adorned with countless gears constantly spouting steam, Looking up, one could also see the steel supports installed at the top, as well as the many exaggerated electric arcs that leaped rhythmically. Less than 15% of the gentlemen in Zion had ever seen the true face of the Power Station. At this moment, Ludwig Reagan was in the depths of the Power Station, inside a private laboratory permitted by the station master, making his final preparations to leave the city. In the midst of his busyness, a woman whose body was connected in many places by cables and who achieved simple consciousness through circuit boards and precise currents, was sitting at the edge of the cleared experimental platform, swinging her legs up and down. The cables hanging from the roots of her legs swayed along. Her special eyes, hidden beneath her black hair, watched the busy Reagan. Without complete thought processes, she merely liked to watch this exceedingly familiar young man and wouldn¡¯t think too much. Whenever Reagan was alone, she would sneak out to keep him company. At this time, Reagan observed the special device he had been studying for many years, using the mechanical arms and adjustable magnifying glass assembled at the experimental platform to make final adjustments to it. Before he knew it, eight hours had passed. The woman still maintained the same leg-swinging and observing motions, even the amplitude of her leg movements remained the same. ¡°So I have to leave the city after all¡­¡± Once he had finished adjusting, Reagan first came to the ethereal woman, The faint electric arcs leaping over her body allowed Reagan to directly touch the woman, to truly feel her body¡­ or rather, only Reagan could touch her. Reagan cupped the woman¡¯s hands, and a teardrop fell upon them. ¡°Faye, please forgive my incompetence. Even with the research resources provided by the stationmaster, I still can¡¯t make a breakthrough in ¡®neural consciousness¡¯ reconstruction. At least as a ¡®human¡¯ now, it is simply impossible to overcome this technical barrier in the short term. I need to take you to the twisted, loathsome, and dangerous Grey Zone again, to search for ancient Relics that can push beyond the Limit of Man. I promise, this time I definitely will not let you get hurt.¡± As Reagan finished speaking, the woman stopped swinging her legs, Her body began to move slowly, emitting a sound of metal cables and bones friction. Her tongue, riddled with tiny holes, pressed against the side of Reagan¡¯s ear, lightly licking and sending out sporadic electromagnetic interference: ¡°Good¡­ we¡­ together¡­ go.¡± These words greatly encouraged Reagan. He stood up and returned to the device he had finished adjusting. This was an augmentation device he had designed himself with support from the station master, created by pre-spending his entire ten years¡¯ salary. A spine-like exoskeleton that shimmered with metallic luster, silvery white throughout, resembling a centipede. Each segment of the spine had a pair of soft metal appendages, Once these appendages were inserted into the human body, they would automatically seek the corresponding secondary nerves for swift connection. The device¡¯s greatest feature was its ability to transform an individual¡¯s biological energy into electrical energy for storage, and it could also precisely and effectively regulate the delivery of electricity. For instance, after Reagan ate normally, a portion of the food energy converting into glycogen would split off an excess portion and transform into electricity, stored between the spines. Similarly, the energy produced from Reagan¡¯s daily walking and running would also be partially saved in electrical form. Because the device closely resembled the insects of the Arthropoda class, Reagan often called it the [Electric Insect]. Due to the limitations of the era¡¯s technology, a device that connects with the essence of nerves and requires the transformation of the body¡¯s energy transmission, would involve significant risks during installation; a strong rejection reaction from the body could lead to immediate death. ¡°Huff¡­¡± He took a deep breath and reached out to flip the hidden switch inside the outer layer of the exoskeleton. Click-clack, click-clack! The exoskeleton spine moved like a reptile, each metal appendage beginning to tap up and down, seeking to insert themselves into the host¡¯s body. Reagan removed his Shirt, ¡°` The exposed back had already been mapped out with a ¡°spine point distribution diagram¡± using some sort of inducing fluid, to assist the exoskeleton in making precise connections. As he twisted his body, he aligned his back with the activated exoskeleton spine. The latter immediately detected ¡®compatible points¡¯ and crawled up his back like centipedes. Feeling the cold metal appendages scraping against his back, Ludwig Reagan felt no fear; instead, he just turned his head slightly and smiled warmly at the woman he loved most in his life. ¡°Just wait a moment for me, it will be over soon,¡± he said. The smile did not last long. The metallic vertebrae crawling on his back held still as the appendages began to seek out the corresponding [points] Shh~ The cold metal spikes pierced into his body and into his spine in an instant, officially initiating ¡®neural integration¡¯ and ¡®energy storage modification¡¯. Ah! A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the lab. Reagan almost passed out on the spot, The sound of pain touched Faye, who was nearby, causing her simple thought processes to react, and she slowly drifted over to embrace Reagan in her arms. Slowly, As the pain in his spine gradually subsided, the extremly exhausted Reagan slowly fell asleep in the embrace, collapsing sideways in the laboratory. A strong and stable current flickered in his almost closed eyes. ¡­ Inside the Academy Yi Chen reported on the tasks he undertook in Cesimani as usual to his tutor. Qian Bosen naturally saw through his student¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Are you really not satisfied with the ¡®Dual Attribute Relic¡¯?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try~ Just treat it as a trial for the mission, and wouldn¡¯t it be better if we really found a ¡®Three Attribute Relic¡¯?¡± ¡°The ¡®Relic Incident¡¯ is entirely different from the usual tasks you undertake because you will have to contact [Channels] and venture into truly dangerous areas of the old world. However, newly discovered channels, especially those in medium and sparse Grey Zones, tend to be safer. Additionally, the ¡®Skin Content¡¯ of your outfit should further ensure your activity issues there, and the Watcher will also decide whether you are qualified to pass through the channel. Since you¡¯ve decided to go, I won¡¯t say much more. Just to be safe, take a tube of ¡®Dusk thin silver liquid¡¯¡­ after all, one bottle has plenty, and the remaining amount should be enough for your subsequent use.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yi Chen replied. After saying goodbye to Qian Bosen, he followed him to Zed¡¯s Paradise. Normally talkative Teacher Zed didn¡¯t say much this time, nor did he require Yi Chen to engage in physical training before departure. Instead, he rarely cautioned him: ¡°Explore carefully, and don¡¯t lose your ¡®eyes¡¯ in there like I did.¡± Yi Chen planned to spend the remaining time preparing for something that could influence the progression of the event. [Street District ¨C Temporary Accommodation Area] Top floor corner room, this is precisely Jin¡¯s single rental. Strangely, standing at the door Yi Chen couldn¡¯t smell the usual scent of meat. Knock, knock, knock~Several knocks on the door went unanswered. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s nearly ten o¡¯clock at night, and she still hasn¡¯t returned? Well, let¡¯s wait for the notification and regroup tomorrow.¡± Just as Yi Chen turned to leave, heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor, and Jin appeared, carrying a hemp bag taller than herself, coming up from the staircase. ¡°Huh? William, what are you doing here¡­ I was thinking we might have to depart promptly tomorrow, so I used a lot of connections today to gather [high-grade synthetic meat]. I have to process it all tonight. You¡¯ve really come at a bad time.¡± ¡°No problem, we can talk while you work.¡± Yi Chen had a clear purpose, He wanted to seize this critical moment before the event to have a deep conversation with Jin, to seriously discuss the upcoming relic incident and try to suppress Jin¡¯s wild traits as much as possible, reducing the instability of the team. In the dim, cramped room filled with the scent of raw meat, To minimize the contamination of clothing, coats were taken off, Both of them wore only shirts, with the first and second buttons undone, sleeves folded up to the elbows, Palms occasionally overlapped, crossed, Collaborating on the instrument covered with minced meat, grinding and pressing to produce minced meat, trying to process all the synthetic meat before dawn. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 145 Battle Selection Chapter 146: Chapter 145 Battle Selection Since there was so much meat, they spent almost the entire night cooking it. Of course, Yi Chen also perfectly used this opportunity to engage in a profound conversation with Jin. Starting with the incident last time in Shebolt Village when Jin was captured by the village chief, he hoped Jin would be a bit more restrained this time and listen to his suggestions effectively. While kneading the meat, Jin also turned his head back, pried part of his mask open with his tongue, and whispered, ¡°If you want me to listen to you, I can¡­ but this isn¡¯t a one-sided affair. When I need to use your Body~ you must give it to me unreservedly, just like in the lower levels of the church.¡± While speaking, Jin also deliberately freed one hand and reached into the already unbuttoned parts of Yi Chen, touching back and forth between the odd structures of the body. ¡°I can do that.¡± With the ¡®Black Umbilical Cord¡¯ on his body plus the assistance of the little grape, Yi Chen didn¡¯t mind, as long as Jin didn¡¯t use too much of his body, it could still hold up. ¡°Alright, you be the captain then~ I¡¯ll definitely obey you. This event¡¯s strict rules are really annoying though, just when our coordination was getting proficient, they suddenly added a third person.¡± ¡°With Ludwig¡¯s involvement, the event is bound to go more smoothly,¡± ¡°His Sensing is incredibly strong~ I just hope that the fat guy can keep up with our Speed, and not need to gasp for breath after a little exercise.¡± With the conversation concluded successfully, the two continued preparing the meat until around four in the morning when Yi Chen, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed onto the only mattress in the living room and fell into a deep sleep. The next morning. A series of urgent knocks forced Yi Chen from his deep sleep, Jin had not been woken by the sound, and her sleeping position had conveniently trapped Yi Chen in an embrace from behind, her saliva completely soaked into his collar. Yi Chen struggled to free himself, tidied up his clothing a bit, and opened the door, where a gentleman in a white-gray suit wearing a stone mask was standing on the doorstep. Without any verbal exchange, the gentleman confirmed the identities of Yi Chen and the sleeping individual through the eyes beneath his stone mask, handed over a letter, then turned and left. The envelope bore the wax seal of the Gentleman Hall, clearly related to the Relic event. However, the content of the letter immediately energized Yi Chen, who glanced at the time on his watch, ¡°Lucky I managed to get some sleep last night, otherwise it would be troublesome¡­ noon at twelve, huh? Two hours left, I¡¯ll let Jin sleep a bit longer.¡± The little grape on his shoulder stretched lazily and slowly crawled out. Staring at the letter with its eye, the content also stirred its excitement. ¡°Very interesting~ now we¡¯ll get to see that fat human¡¯s capabilities. I can feel that the fat guy is very powerful.¡± ¡°Yes, getting an advance look at Ludwig¡¯s standards will also help in planning for later events.¡± The message conveyed by the letter was straightforward, about the ¡®Newcomer Channel¡¯ event being too popular, with seven teams having signed up within just one day, and since the event¡¯s team limit was[3], all enrolled teams needed to go to the Gentleman Hall for an effective strength selection. Time quickly reached noon, the Gentleman Hall¡¯s first floor rest area was filled with gentlemen radiating different auras, some with their Attributes at their Limit, including two teams whose average Age was on the older side, who had experienced Relic events before but could not find a Relic that matched their own. They had more combat experience and training time. In the corner of the hall on a long bench, there sat only one person, it was Ludwig Reagan who had rushed over from the Power Station, but his sunny image from the day before was a bit different today, wearing an overcoat with a hood, covering his appearance as much as possible. His back was slightly arched, revealing the contours of his spine just a bit. At that moment, the gentleman in the stone mask stepped soundlessly into the rest area¡­ The heavy pressure emanating from him instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention to him. He was one of the supervisors, in charge of the team-related issues for this event. Without uttering a word, he signaled for everyone to follow him to a hidden area in the Gentleman Hall. Just as everyone was about to follow him out, a hurried figure burst through the main door, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late!¡± The person who rushed in was Yi Chen, with Jin, who was completely asleep and unresponsive to the outside world, still on his back. Considering the crucial team selection upcoming, Yi Chen chose to use Teacher Zede¡¯s method from last time to carry her over, allowing Jin to rest as much as possible. The gentleman with the stone mask just turned to look back once before continuing to lead the way. Finally, the three-person team had gathered at the last moment. Yi Chen quickly apologized, ¡°Mr. Reagan, I¡¯m sorry~ The preparations last night took too long, and Jin always needs to undergo physical processing before traveling far.¡± ¡°The timing is just right, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s catch up.¡± The three gathered team members followed at the rear of the main group, with Yi Chen also noticing that Reagan seemed different today, though he did not point it out directly. ¡°By the way, here¡¯s your Gentleman¡¯s Certificate.¡± As Yi Chen handed over the Gentleman¡¯s Certificate, he tried to touch Reagan¡¯s fingers¡­ However, before his fingers even got close, an electric arc shot out directly. Slap! It struck the surface of his skin like a heavy slap. Yi Chen¡¯s entire right hand went numb as a result, with his fingertips feeling a sharp pain. At the same time, the unexpected electric shock made Jin show signs of waking up, as her body sensed the danger. Reagan also quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, my body was connected to a new device yesterday, and it has not yet fully adapted. However, normal movement and combat will not be affected at all. Give me just one day, and I will fully adapt, avoiding any recurrence of what just happened.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The group followed the gentleman with the stone mask to an underground area that required verification of a supervisor¡¯s identity, a circular arena made with high-strength materials and sealed construction, specifically used to test the level of the Gentleman Teams. Once everyone had entered, the stone door closed on its own. The gentleman with the stone mask finally broke his silence and announced the selection mode that everyone was most concerned about. ¡°For this Relic incident, seven teams have registered. We will now ¡®battle¡¯ to determine the three more capable teams that will qualify to execute the event.¡± As he spoke, the gentleman had already constructed a stone box for drawing lots. ¡°Send one representative from each team to draw a lot. Teams with matching numbers will battle each other, with the winners being selected.¡± When he finished explaining the rules, someone immediately raised a question: ¡°There are seven teams here. With this drawing method, one team will be left over. How will that be handled?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a blank slip in the drawing box. The team that draws it will be automatically eliminated. ¡®Luck¡¯ is just as important in Grey Zone exploration and Relic searching.¡± By then, two people had already stepped forward to draw. Seeing this, Yi Chen looked at his two teammates: ¡°Both of you are luckier than me, you decide who goes¡­¡± Jin showed no interest in this kind of drawing, continuously complaining, ¡°This is so boring. Why do we need to draw lots? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just let everyone fight it out in a big melee to pick the top three teams?¡± At that moment, Reagan suddenly said, ¡°No need to go up, the outcome is already decided.¡± Sure enough, The previous team had just drawn the blank slip and left the underground area with grim expressions. The last remaining slip, marked with the number[3], went to Yi Chen¡¯s team, meaning they would be the last to fight. This arrangement, however, provided them with a good opportunity to observe the capabilities of the other teams. ¡°Weapons and spells with greater lethality are forbidden. To reduce possible casualties, should I determine that any team¡¯s level is clearly superior to their opponent¡¯s and they exhibit a dominating stance, I will end the battle prematurely. Please, the teams that drew number 1, come forward and get ready.¡± Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 146 Acquaintance Chapter 147: Chapter 146 Acquaintance The first two battles had brightened Yi Chen¡¯s eyes, every gentleman¡¯s performance was spectacular, and it was evident that everyone present was unwilling to let go of the opportunity to explore the ¡°New Birth Passage¡±¡ªespecially the teams with older members, who were eager to acquire relics that suited them. At the same time, all adhered to the gentlemanly code of conduct, ensuring that if one side showed absolute suppression, the dominant party would never deliver a killing blow, while the defeated would promptly concede loss. As the referee, the gentleman wearing the stone mask never intervened, allowing the matches to conclude naturally. Yi Chen gave a succinct assessment of the situation at hand, ¡°William and I must be the youngest in terms of ¡®gentleman age¡¯ in this match selection. Most have graduated from the academy, and some have even been in Zion for three or four years. Moreover, they have all touched the ¡®Limit of Man¡¯ and found their rightful place.¡± As the second match concluded, it was time to vie for the last team slot. ¡°We¡¯re up.¡± As Yi Chen waved forward, the trio stepped onto the field. Jin, in his multicolored suit, led the way, and during his entrance, he took the initiative to strip off his jacket, proceeding to the upcoming battle in just a shirt. He also rolled up his sleeves and performed some exaggerated stretches that exceeded the limits of his joints, cracking and popping as he did. A man from the team that had just won the second round, also hailing from Cesimani, showed a difficult expression when he saw Jin¡¯s iconic rainbow mask. Because Yi Chen had carried Jin on his back and arrived just in time at the end, the man who had walked ahead of the main group had not noticed Jin¡¯s presence. ¡°Jin Almeda¡­ coming to participate in a relic event just a year after entering the city? No one can stop that madman. We¡¯ll try to avoid her as much as we can in the future explorations of the Grey Zone, let alone have conflicts of interest.¡± A white-robed wizard-like teammate beside him asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the story with this person? You seem so tense, Arthur.¡± ¡°A ¡®Cesimani¡¯ combat record of 59 victories and zero defeats¡­ I lost one of my three battles in a real fight against Jin. This woman is specifically a monster targeting the physical. Luckily, we didn¡¯t end up drawing her.¡± The white-robed gentleman¡¯s pupils shone with the luster of magic, his curiosity piqued: ¡°She can defeat you head-on, Arthur? I¡¯m quite eager to see the performance of this monster.¡± ¡­ When both teams reached the center of the arena, Jin stood with her hands on her hips, leaning forward to scrutinize her opponents. Then she straightened up, a look of satisfaction appearing beneath her mask. She could sense that the quality of the opponents¡¯ physicality was quite excellent, their strength reliable. At that moment, Yi Chen¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Jin, try not to use ¡®Red Lotus¡¯.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I still have a sense of measure¡­ If I accidentally kill these guys, our chance to go out will be spoiled, and that damned organization will call me in for a talk again.¡± As weapons were prohibited, Yi Chen also began to stretch his muscles and activate the plants within his body, confident in his hand-to-hand combat, though admitting he was no match for Jin. After all, he was the sole student of Zede, known as ¡®Special Record Combat Power¡¯. Just as the duel was about to commence, the enclosed stone door of the underground area was suddenly opened from the outside, and a familiar voice came through. ¡°Stone, pardon the interruption! Some friends outside are quite interested in the match happening here. I¡¯ve brought them along to observe¡ªhope it¡¯s not over yet?¡± The opener was none other than the co-manager of the Gentleman Hall, and an old acquaintance of Yi Chen, Aiji. He entered the underground area, holding a long staff and wearing his hat askew, followed by Qian Bosen with an owl perched on his shoulder and Instructor Beili, dressed in knee-high black leather boots. Their appearance was not due to Yi Chen or Jin, but specifically to see ¡®the third person¡¯ who had teamed up with their students. ¡°Professor Qian Bosen, long time no see.¡± At that moment, one of the contestants about to battle called out to Qian Bosen, It was the captain of Yi Chen¡¯s opposing team, with semi-white hair, a white suit, and a dark blue tie patterned with clouds. Qian Bosen recognized him immediately, ¡°Charvis? Haven¡¯t you found a suitable Relic yet?¡± ¡°Relics with dual Intelligence attributes are really rare, I plan to give myself one more year¡­ By the way, Professor Qian, it¡¯s a surprise to see you here. Is there a student here you¡¯re keeping an eye on?¡± ¡°William is a student I have taken under my wing recently.¡± At this, Yi Chen, who was standing on the field, also gave a gentleman¡¯s bow to the other side. Although Charvis returned the gesture, he felt bitter inside. During his student days, because of the similarity in Profession and Attributes, Qian Bosen had given him guidance and help multiple times, but it had always been just a normal teacher-student relationship. Later, he heard that Qian Bosen, as an honorary professor, did not take on students, and that merely receiving private guidance from an honorary professor was already more than what most students could hope for. However, a student had suddenly appeared one year after his graduation, even bringing Qian Bosen here to watch the battle in person. ¡°Could it be that my mediocre talent wasn¡¯t enough to interest you?¡± Charvis couldn¡¯t help but show a self-deprecating smile, slowly putting on the Spellcasters¡¯ gloves marked with the pattern of the wind, ready to face the upcoming match with all his strength. He had no intention of seeking revenge; he only wanted to test how special this new student, taken in by Professor Qian Bosen, really was and in what aspect his talent surpassed his own. Yi Chen¡¯s gaze also locked on Charvis, ¡°A Wind Element gentleman like Professor Qian? From the previous conversation, it seems that he has developed both Sensing and Intelligence and has won Qian Bosen¡¯s favor, he must be a formidable opponent.¡± Then, he slowly turned his attention to the other two people opposite him. One was wearing a black pointed hat, with all but his right eye wrapped in bandages, His dark grey clothing was purposefully designed to look tattered, with sleeves cut off at the elbow, exposing and wrapping everything forward in bandages as well. Sparks and ashes trickled out from the gaps in the bandages, complementing this person¡¯s slender and slightly hunched figure, like a severely charred zombie. Jin¡¯s attention also fell on this person, speaking softly: ¡°This guy is the Executioner from our Cesimani, ¡®Ashen One ¨C Livovich¡¯, with a training record of 113 wins and 4 losses. Having arrived at Zion two years before me, I haven¡¯t crossed paths with him yet. I¡¯ll take him on; they say his body is turning to ashes, making him hard to kill, which is just to my taste.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The last one had a huge physique similar to Darkberg and the Village Chief and was also wearing Medieval knight armor, with a bucket-shaped steel helmet on his head. Since weapons were forbidden, his heavy hammer and large shield were placed outside the field. ¡°Is this some kind of modified gentleman¡¯s clothes? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a thing. The special tailor shop under the organization¡¯s command can completely refashion ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ and combine it with armor, but three conditions must be met. 1. The gentleman¡¯s Profession must be metal-related, with a focus on Physique development. 2. His family ancestors must have been true knights, possessing experience and talent in wearing armor. 3. He must be able to afford the expensive modification costs. The teams that appear here are indeed not ordinary¡­ Such team composition is quite perfect, the level of this team is not weaker than those of the teams that won the previous two times. An intense battle is to be expected next.¡± With the preliminary Observation concluded, Yi Chen casually glanced at his newly joined teammate. But unexpectedly, Reagan seemed uncomfortable, his right hand on his spine as though he were scratching an itch, but it looked more like he was adjusting something. ¡°Reagan, are you okay?¡± Reagan gave a thumbs up, ¡°Hmm~ I¡¯m a bit uncomfortable, but it¡¯s manageable. I¡¯ll finish the game quickly.¡± With a brief interruption by the supervisor Aiji, the third match officially began¡­ Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Monster Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Monster The third qualification match, the situation of the two teams is as follows: Left team: William Behrens (Yi Chen), one year since entering the city, profession: ¡°student (purple)¡± Jin Almeda, one year since entering the city, profession: ¡°Body Weapon Master (black)¡± Ludwig Reagan, one year and nine months since entering the city, profession: ¡°Prototype Master (purple)¡± Right team: Charvis Elliott, three years since entering the city, profession: ¡°Wind Summoner (blue)¡± Balzan Livovich, two years and eight months since entering the city, profession: ¡°Burning Destroyer (black)¡± Barry Bessalius, two years since entering the city, profession: ¡°Heavy Knight (blue)¡± Teams from the previous two matches, regardless of victory or defeat, chose to stay here to watch the match, learning valuable experience from observing their peers in action. Aiji, the supervisor, twirled his gentleman¡¯s cane in his hand and threw out a question: ¡°Charvis¡¯s team has a high rating in our hall, and they have richer combat experience. It seems like a tough battle¡­ What do you two think?¡± Qian Bosen did not comment, as there were two students he favored on the field. Although Charvis was not taken as a student directly by him, the private attention he provided was not any less. He had often personally instructed in the use of wind magic. Beili, leaning against the wall, pushed her monocle, ¡°As long as Jin is on the field, the outcome of the match has already been determined¡­ I didn¡¯t come to see the results, but to see this peculiar employee from the power station. Using the Cesimani internal network, I still couldn¡¯t get his complete information; all about his experience before joining the organization and his role at the power station are classified as top-secret. I have never seen a newcomer with so many secrets; the organization seems to have special attention on him as well.¡± Aiji, the supervisor, not being responsible for this selection, hadn¡¯t seen any personal data, ¡°That mysterious, huh? Then I will have to watch closely¡­ William seems to have a special allure, finding so many strange and peculiar teammates.¡± At this moment. The stone mask referee generated a medium-sized stone in his hand and threw it skywards. Snap! The stone hit the ground, the match began. Charvis spread his arms, white light shone from the casting gloves at both ends, and wind patterns rippled out beneath him and his teammates, boosting their movement speed. The tactic had been planned in advance: the trio was ready to seize the initiative and press the attack. Charvis also condensed tangible wind blades in his hands, able to be thrown swiftly or wielded close-range like weapons¡­ His gaze was entirely locked on Yi Chen. ¡°Let me try, the student personally selected by Professor Qian Bosen.¡± Just as Charvis stepped forward with full confidence, Snap! His two teammates in front of him fell forward without any warning, body stiff. Especially the heavy knight Barry with his ample physique and metal armor, made a dull thud as he hit the ground. ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± As Charvis was puzzled by the situation before him, he suddenly felt a warm flow in his nostrils, instinctively reaching up to wipe, only to find his hand covered in blood. Buzz! A strong ringing in his ears followed by blurred vision ensued. Charvis didn¡¯t fall, relying on pure willpower, he snapped his fingers with his right hand¡­ Snap! The secret spell was released. A kind of spiritual magic, combining intellect and perception, swept over him, clearing his consciousness and adding a layer of magical protection. Charvis¡¯s eyes bulged, bloodshot, no longer looking at Yi Chen. He shifted his gaze to the slightly plump young man in a coat and hood beside him. ¡°My ¡®Perception¡¯ has reached 5+, and I¡¯m about to hit the human limit. Why can a simple spiritual shock affect me like this? Is this guy even human?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Charvis in the match. This scene changed the expressions of all the onlookers below, and even the stone mask referee slowly raised his right hand, prepared to stop the fight in front of him at any moment. Qian Bosen¡¯s pupils also turned owl-like, watching and analyzing the ¡®Principal¡¯s Disciple¡¯. Beili, who had been relaxed against the wall, was the first to move, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she took two steps forward to seriously observe. Aiji, the supervisor, adjusting his top hat, murmured softly, ¡°No wonder you two came to watch, this monster is indeed worth observing¡­ Transcendent level spiritual power, truly terrifying.¡± On the field, Yi Chen, his teammate, and Jin, who was preparing to face the enemy, were also stunned, looking sideways at Ludwig Reagan. Jin even instinctively infused Red Lotus into her brain, ready to wake herself up with a minor brain explosion if she were affected. At that moment, Charvis continued to use the Clear Wind Secret Technique to wake his teammates and stamped a green wind mark on his own forehead, further enhancing his mental defenses. ¡°Never thought that amongst gentlemen there would be such a creature. It¡¯s a kind of ¡®Luck¡¯ to fight against someone like this. I will take on this guy. Balzan, Barry, you handle the other two.¡± ¡°Be careful, Charvis! If something¡¯s wrong, give up the qualification immediately,¡± came the friendly warning from beneath the steel mask of his teammate. ¡°Understood.¡± Charvis no longer considered Yi Chen, his eyes wide open and blood-shot, focusing all his attention on the slightly plump young man, gliding on a breeze, he sped up his dash! The Wind Blade coalescing in his palm began to spin with great velocity, and during his sprint, he hurled it forward, the throw from his arm, combined with the running speed and the inherent spinning force of the Wind Blade¡­ The Wind Blade practically turned into a streak of white light, shooting towards Ludwig at a speed invisible to the naked eye. ¡°It should have hit¡­¡± Seeing the Wind Blade approach closely, reaching a distance impossible to dodge, Charvis clenched his fist in anticipation. Suddenly, Hum! An electric current surged up the spine protruding from Ludwig¡¯s back. An electric energy pulse released on a small scale, directly shattering the Wind Blade, leaving not even a trace of magical residue. ¡°Spiritual Shock instant dispelling¡­¡± Charvis gritted his teeth while his mouth twitched, ¡°What kind of monster is this? Are the youngsters really this terrifying nowadays? If you don¡¯t harbor killing intent against such an opponent, victory is simply out of reach. If I remain this cautious, I might lose the match without even getting a chance to touch him. Such a guy definitely won¡¯t die easily, let¡¯s try this move.¡± Charvis¡¯s mindset underwent a transformation as he silently recited a certain secret spell, a high-rank magic spell completely different from the Wind Blade began to condense in his hands, forming two crystals, one azure and one white, clasped in his palm. He continued his rush forward, closing the final ten-meter distance. Hum! Another consciousness shock wave emitted by Ludwig, this time directly targeting Charvis. Despite having two lines of defense set up in his consciousness, he still bled from his eyes and nose¡­ his vision was obstructed by a curtain of blood. Charvis simply closed his eyes, carefully listening to the sound of the wind. Locking onto the target, he successfully closed in! For a pure Perception Gentleman, lacking in close combat techniques, being approached in battle is a very dangerous thing. When squads are on missions outdoors, it¡¯s necessary for members to ensure the safety of their Perception Gentleman, reducing the chances of being approached by Patients. But there are exceptions. When Charvis successfully closed the distance to Ludwig, Ludwig, who hadn¡¯t made any moves during the entire match, lifted his right hand for the first time¡­ and he did so with incredible speed, reaching in front of Charvis¡¯s eyes in the blink of an eye. An electric current different from magic gathered in the palm. Hum! A Pulse Cannon in a compressed form shot out from the palm, its power beyond estimation. However, Charvis had already anticipated this scenario. He crushed the azure crystal in his left hand in advance. The body that was shot through by the Pulse Cannon dissipated like a stream of air, or rather, it was just a temporary false body conjured by magic. The real Charvis had already shifted his position, moving rapidly to the side and ending up behind Ludwig. Crack! He crushed the white crystal in his right hand. A Storm Sword, almost as solid as a real one, formed in his hand. Having pinned Ludwig as a ¡®monster¡¯ from the beginning, Charvis naturally took into account that the opponent must have close combat techniques, thus he reserved two secret techniques, ¡°Wind Shadow Body¡± and ¡°Storm Sword,¡± inside a temporarily constructed Demon Crystal, to seize this opportunity to win. ¡°I¡¯ve won!¡± Without hesitation, Charvis, wrapped in a cleansing breeze, swung the Storm Sword in his hand at the greatest speed towards the side of the shoulder. Strangely enough, at this critical moment, Ludwig in front of him didn¡¯t dodge or defend but shouted a peculiar phrase. ¡°Faye, stop!¡± The next second. Before the Storm Sword could strike, a powerful blow, seemingly out of nowhere, struck Charvis¡¯s chest; like a bullet, he was shot towards the edge of the arena¡­ Boom! He smashed into the reinforced wall, creating a shallow human-shaped dent. Pff~ A gush of blood sprayed from Charvis¡¯s mouth, and he could also smell a hint of something burning. Glancing down, he saw that his chest was branded with a deep, charred handprint. ¡°What on earth¡­ happened?¡± With the last bit of his consciousness, he looked up, only for the scene he beheld to induce an instinctive fear within him. Behind Ludwig, a grotesque, indescribable female cadaver floated in midair, with terrifying black electric currents coursing between the cables connected to her body. At this moment, the cadaver glared at him, the outsider attempting to harm Ludwig, with killing intent spilling out in the form of electric currents. And Ludwig was desperately trying to suppress this cadaver, for if he hadn¡¯t, that blow might have completely blown Charvis¡¯s head off. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 148: Dining Table Chapter 149: Chapter 148: Dining Table Charvis, at the moment of losing consciousness, was swiftly taken away by Aiji, the manager from the sidelines, who instructed the Gentleman Hall staff to rush him to the hospital with the utmost speed. The captain¡¯s defeat also almost declared the tournament¡¯s end. On the other side, Jin had been remarkably well-behaved in this match and had not unleashed the Red Lotus Explosion. Instead, using a pure Body Technique¡ª¡±Cross Lock¡±¡ªhe disarmed the Burning Destroyer Livovich¡¯s arm and gained the upper hand, reveling in the raw close-quarters combat. From beneath the multicolored mask, bursts of eerie laughter could often be heard. Only Yi Chen seemed relatively normal; he and the Heavy Knight Barry fought back and forth, both holding back and not using their true trump cards. When he saw the severely injured Charvis being carried away, Barry serenely accepted the outcome, he stopped fighting, and, removing his bucket-like steel helmet, revealed an honest, rugged face shaded by a beard and nodded respectfully to the much younger Yi Chen before him. ¡°It seems, our duel has come to an end. Your teammates are like monsters, but from the look of things before the match, you seem to be the real ¡®captain.¡¯ Is it because I am not a Patient that you were restraining yourself? I can tell your body is unique, much like the Special Record Combat Power imprisoned deep in the academy.¡± Yi Chen responded with a gentlemanly gesture, ¡°You are referring to Teacher Zede, right? My body is far from comparable. With weapons forbidden, the physical fight just now was my limit, and I couldn¡¯t break through your defense at all.¡± Clang! With his armored heavy palm, Barry firmly patted Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder twice, ¡°Good luck to you all!¡± As the match concluded, Barry helped the armless Livovich, whose arm was quickly regenerating under the effect of ashes, as they prepared to visit the hospital to check on Charvis¡¯s condition. With only Yi Chen and his company remaining in the arena, the surrounding spectators began to murmur quietly among themselves. About Ludwig Reagan¡¯s terrifying performance, which did not seem human¡­ They also secretly felt relieved that they had not drawn this team, or they would likely have ended up in the same predicament. The victorious three teams gathered in the center, and the manager with the stone mask briefly explained the situation regarding the Relic incident: ¡°Since the incident site is more than a three-day carriage ride from Zion, we will commence the journey tonight at six o¡¯clock. Once you board the coach, the coachman will provide you with the dossier containing information about the incident. The coach is equipped with all the necessary food for the journey and provides comfortable rest areas, so you need only prepare yourselves for the incident itself. Lastly, congratulations on qualifying for the incident, and I hope you cherish this opportunity to bring back the ¡®Relic¡¯ from the other end.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± All were dismissed. As Yi Chen turned his gaze to the sidelines, Professor Qian Bosen and others had already left. ¡­ In the lower district¡¯s streets, a deeply hidden restaurant without a sign, as Coach Beili had recently been giving Yi Chen some special attention, including allowing him to engage in real combat and slaughter training in Cesimani and planning this Relic incident, Professor Qian Bosen, as the lead Tutor, was very thankful and generously treated her to dinner. The manager Aiji, with a mindset of sharing in the benefits, also followed to the restaurant. Coach Beili, tasting a type of seafood usually unavailable, her eyes lit up as she gave a high appraisal, ¡°I never expected the professor to know about such an ¡®irregular¡¯ restaurant, but the taste is indeed good¡­ This faux seafood must be made from some kind of fungus, then transformed through special meat-magic, right?¡± Professor Qian Bosen, maintaining an elegant dining posture, slowly spoke after chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth: ¡°Occasionally, an old friend and I venture into the lower district to discover some intriguing amusements, and we always dine at this restaurant.¡± After the meal over tea, they touched upon the main topic, and Beili brought up the question that most intrigued her: ¡°Just who is that gentleman? At merely the human stage, he can employ such advanced mental attacks, seemingly with the ability to manipulate fundamental matter, especially ¡®electricity.¡¯ Moreover, he bears a dangerous presence similar to that of a Patient.¡± ¡°The Principal¡¯s disciple.¡± Upon hearing this, Beili¡¯s eyes narrowed nearly to slits, and manager Aiji, who was wiping his mouth, accidentally let his towel slip. Coach Beili then showed a look of realization, ¡°So Desline has time to take on students. That does explain it. A monster leading a monster, quite fitting. ¡°With that said, the value of such a three-person team is really high, their ¡®Comprehensive Potential¡¯ is probably the highest in the last fifty years.¡± ¡°But what about stability? Has Professor Qian Bosen seriously considered that?¡± ¡°Indeed, their potential is ¡®second to none¡¯ in any era. As for the issue of team stability, since it¡¯s Principal¡¯s intention to guide the formation of the team, we needn¡¯t dwell too much on it. Moreover, William will make every effort to maintain the whole team, he has such leadership ability.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree with the first part, no one knows what Desline is thinking. However, I do agree with the latter part; William has a kind of ¡®special charm¡¯ that¡¯s quite likable even to me¡­ It¡¯s no wonder Jin is willing to stay with him. The difficulty of this Relic event is relatively low anyway, we¡¯ll know the results when they return. If they don¡¯t achieve the expected results or if significant team contradictions appear, I will take the initiative to split them up.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After a brief casual conversation, Qian Bosen rode the wind away, his figure barely visible, and Instructor Beili also disappeared with a movement technique unnoticed. Only leaving Aiji, the manager, stunned in his seat until the waiter brought him an exorbitantly expensive bill. A similar dinner event also took place in the Upper District. Yi Chen and Jin had rushed straight to the contest without even having time for breakfast or lunch. Following Reagan¡¯s suggestion, they came to his favorite takeaway corner restaurant. As soon as the lavish food was served, Reagan could not hide his gluttony as a heavy eater, lifting his hood and digging in. Yi Chen also caught a glimpse of a metallic device at Reagan¡¯s cervical spine, something that wasn¡¯t there when they had met before. Just as Reagan tried to stuff the seventh piece of steak into his mouth in one go. Crack! The knife and fork slipped from his hand along with the steak, veins on his forehead bulging intensely, and his eyes quickly filling with blood, one hand gripping his cervical spine and the other holding a protruding broken spine, his body stiffened, in immense pain. Yi Chen reacted quickly, flipping over the table with one hand to the opposite side, taking the initiative to check Reagan¡¯s body. Ignoring the electric arcs dancing on the body¡¯s surface, he forcibly removed Reagan¡¯s shirt. An exoskeleton spine, perfectly embedded in the middle of the back and frantically wriggling, came into view. ¡°What is this!¡± Although shocked by the high-tech product before him, Yi Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and swiftly placed his palms on both sides of the spine. Creak creak~ Rows of plant roots penetrated the body, tethering and stabilizing the wildly shaking metallic appendages through the roots. Simultaneously injecting a strand of life essence from the ¡®Black Umbilical Cord¡¯ into Reagan through the plants, in the form of juice. With Yi Chen¡¯s series of precise internal maneuvers, Reagan finally eased from the pain. Jin, sitting opposite, maintained a spectator¡¯s demeanor, smiling throughout the ordeal. Pfft! A large mouthful of blood was expelled from Reagan¡¯s mouth with the help of the plants, making him instantly feel much better. ¡°Thanks, William~ I didn¡¯t expect such a strong rejection reaction; everything seemed fine last night. It seems related to the use of abilities, and the device is still not very stable when encountering high-intensity battles. I might need more time to adapt.¡± On Yi Chen¡¯s end, the thanks he heard were not singular; some electromagnetic female voice mixed in Reagan¡¯s words also expressed gratitude. ¡°Reagan, just what is this thing on your back¡­¡± ¡°Nerve coordination, capacitance storage, and exoskeleton armour. It¡¯s the first piece of equipment in Zion City that takes over the spine, effectively controlling and amplifying my abilities. It also provides a stable ¡®home¡¯ for Faye where she can live comfortably inside the spine, unaffected by the Grey Zone while we are on a mission.¡± Being interested in such a trans-era high-tech product, Yi Chen asked, ¡°Can you take me to the Power Station afterwards? I¡¯m quite interested and knowledgeable in this area, I might be able to help.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± This unexpected physical exchange deepened the camaraderie among the team members. With everything ready, the three selected teams arrived at Gentleman Hall at the designated time, boarded a special carriage unlike before, and officially set off for their destination. Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 149 Relic Incident Chapter 150: Chapter 149 Relic Incident Three carriages bearing the G&D mark, for use exclusively within the organization, stopped outside the grand hall. The reason they were special was that the overall [Skin Content] of the carriage was over 10%, by integrating black rosewood, elm, ash, and white wax with skin through a special internal process, they obtained a top-grade timber that could isolate Pathological influences and conceal aura. Such carriages were often used for important long-distance transport, and many gentlemen who had surpassed the Limit of Man also traveled in these carriages, saving much trouble along the way. Yi Chen and the two others casually boarded one of them. The carriage¡¯s interior was quite spacious, designed with upper and lower bunk beds, just like a ¡°four-person sleeper¡± with an independent bathroom. The wardrobe that supported the bunks was filled with various kinds of long-lasting food and bottled water, even equipped with a small smart refrigerator operating on Dharma Seal cooling, containing some raw meat and beverages for pets. ¡°The environment is really nice~ I feel like staying here for a week would be no problem.¡± As Yi Chen marveled at the high-quality conditions of the carriage, Reagan had already taken out several packages of food and chilled grape wine, instantly entering a binge-watching mode, feeling his stomach seemed bigger than when they met two days ago. The dull life at the power station and the Dharma research that he could not break through had gradually framed Reagan into the definition of a binge-watcher. Only when eating delicious and ample food could his brain secrete dopamine to keep him committed to his research. After a simple allocation of beds, Yi Chen and Reagan took the lower bunks, and Jin slept on the upper bunk of Yi Chen¡¯s bed. When the carriage drove out of the Zion Gate, thud, thud~ a knocking sound came from the locking front window. Wrapped in a coat, the elderly coachman passed in a bag of classified documents, his voice hoarse from the cigarette pipe in his mouth. ¡°This journey will be divided into two parts, ¡± the first half will take us three days to reach the intermediate station -[Yarsoto Town]; you will arrange the preparations and route planning for the event there.¡± After mechanically delivering the information, the coachman turned forward like a living dead, continuing to control the carriage. ¡°Thank you.¡± Although Yi Chen was well aware of the coachman¡¯s state, he still responded with thanks. From books, he knew that the ¡°coachman¡± was a specialized yet lower-tier gentleman Profession; some gentlemen could never break through the Limit of Man, and as they aged, their hopes of breaking through were nearly zero. Moreover, their abilities had no corresponding jobs inside Zion, so in order to keep living, they had no choice but to become coachmen. Spending years outdoors, crossing various Grey Zones, some aged coachmen would gradually become numb during this process and completely bind their physical and thought with the carriage until death. Naturally. Coachmen who had dedicated their lives to the organization would be entitled to a ¡®graveyard burial¡¯ if they died within the power sphere. And if lucky, they might even get the chance to live again in another form. ¡­ Back in the bunk, Yi Chen unpacked the document bag. Jin leaned half of his body from the upper bunk, bending down at 90¡ã to watch together, and Reagan, sucking on the grease from his fingers, also leaned over with a pack of snacks in hand. [Relic Event (New)] 1. Event location: [Greyrell Mountain, aka The Holy Grail Mountain], named for its cup-like shape, considered a sacred mountain by many. 2. Event summary: The closest organizational outpost to the destination, also the intermediate station for this event ¨C Yarsoto Town, has always had Gentleman Patrol Teams inspecting the Holy Grail Mountain. Four years ago, a small-scale Grey Zone spread was first discovered in the mountain, which after detailed investigation, was identified as a Natural Grey Zone; it couldn¡¯t be eradicated, only blocked as much as possible to slow the expansion of the Grey Zone. One month ago, Due to the uncontrolled expansion of the Grey Zone, it had spread to a region within a five-kilometer radius below the mountain. It was confirmed that there were at least three types of ¡°rooted pathogens¡± frantically growing in the Grey Domain, and if left unchecked, they might give birth to Open Source Patients. An eradication and investigation squad arranged by the organization hurried to the destination for the first time and accidentally discovered a [Tunnel] hidden inside the mountain during the mission, thereby interrupting the task to report back to the organization. 3. Diseases of the Grey Zone The current situation of the three rooted pathogens is as follows: ¢Ù. [Black Pus Disease] Type: General physical infection (can affect all matter except inorganic substances) Origin and introduction: Erupted in a large village, Mud Swamp Village, several kilometers below the foot of Holy Grail Mountain. Those infected will grow black tumors on their bodies, are photophobic, and prefer to move at night. They like to submerge their bodies in mud to accelerate the spread of pus, thereby infecting other organisms. Black tumors gradually cover the individual¡¯s head, torso, and arms during this process. By the time it completely replaces the upper body, it turns into a [Patient]. The lower body retains the structure of the legs, with the waist and above replaced by a gigantic black pus, highly variable and threatening but still fearful of light and high temperatures. ¢Ú. [Gathering Eye Disease] Type: Mental infection (only affects organisms with intact consciousness) Origin and introduction: A group of displaced Pilgrims from different regions, who regard Greyrell Mountain as a sacred mountain, as the ultimate destination of their lives¡¯ ends. They believe that if they can reach the summit, they will go to the dream beyond, to a blissful world without diseases. The Pilgrims have a resolute determination unlike that of ordinary people; they crossed the jungle affected by grayification at the foot of the mountain and successfully reached the steep summit path. However, the mountains had already severely mutated under the influence of the Grey Zone, complex and shrouded in fog, making the Pilgrims completely lost, unable to find the correct path to the summit. They considered the complex mountain path as the ultimate test, viewing their getting lost as a lack of devotion. To find the only correct path, the Pilgrims began indiscriminately consuming ¡®eyeballs,¡¯ whether the mutated animals in the mountains, their peers, or even themselves. Once a certain number was reached, they completely mutated, and an ¡°Aggregation Eye¡± grew on their forehead. ¢Û. [Septicemia] Type: Specific physical infection (only effective on humans) Origin and introduction: Baron Francis once, for some reason, spent a fortune building a private mansion on the northern slope of Greyrell Mountain, When the Grey Domain spread between the mountains, gentlemen in the organization proposed to escort the Baron¡¯s family to leave, but they were refused. No one has ever left the entire mansion; under the envelopment of the Grey Zone, special mutations occur slowly, even the surrounding woods begin to bleed like human blood. Occasionally, skinless, continuously bleeding zombies can be seen moving around the perimeter of the mansion. *Detailed information about these three diseases will be provided at the waystation¡ªYarsoto Town, by the gentlemen stationed there and will arrange mission assignments and hiking routes for different squads. 4. Tunnel Information *This information is provided by the Tunnel Watcher. [Exploration Level]: 0% (no conscious beings have ever crossed the tunnel) [Stability]: Extremely high (no danger of tunnel collapse, grayification enhancement, etc.) [Depth]: Shallow (leads to the safest shallow layer of the Old World) ¡­ After looking at the basic information about the event, everyone had thoughts in their minds. Reagan returned to his bed, his mouth moving slightly but making no sound; it seemed he was communicating the event information with his ¡°girlfriend.¡± Jin, however, didn¡¯t care at all and simply fell onto his bed to sleep. Yi Chen seemed to think of something. He opened the car window and looked towards the evening sky. Between the misty clouds, the trace of the moon was momentarily invisible. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 150 Way Station Chapter 151: Chapter 150 Way Station ¡°` Although the train carriage was luxurious with all the essentials for life, three days still felt quite long. However, both Yi Chen and Reagan had anticipated this and packed several abstruse books in their suitcases, spending their time lying in bed reading when there was nothing else to do. Jin was the exception, like a corpse that couldn¡¯t be awakened, she fell asleep soon after boarding the train and no amount of noise could rouse her. This peacefulness was only undisturbed for a day. The fast reading ability brought by his student profession meant that Yi Chen had unwittingly finished all the books he had prepared. Furthermore, reading no longer stimulated his brain, and it seemed reaching an Intelligence Limit[6]might require some special opportunity. ¡°Mr. Reagan, could you lend me a few books to read?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± A novel related to neuroscience was thrown over, and Yi Chen, holding it in his hands, finished the entire book in less than twenty minutes. ¡°Mr. Reagan, these pseudo-science fiction books don¡¯t seem very useful for your research, do they?¡± Taken aback by this question, Reagan first exclaimed, ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve already finished the whole book? Or did you just read the beginning?¡± ¡°My profession helps me read quickly. For these kinds of novels that don¡¯t require much understanding, I can get through them in about ten minutes¡­¡± Reagan, who was gnawing on a duck leg, finally realized, ¡°Oh right, I still don¡¯t know what your profession is?¡± Since Reagan had previously shared his own personal information and now they had formed a small team, Yi Chen also moved his shoulder over and took the initiative to share his Basic Attributes and some abilities. Of course, Information about ¡®Death¡¯ and ¡®Grapes¡¯ was omitted, and the information about plant Pathological was relatively simplified. ¡°To think there¡¯s even a [Student] profession, I¡¯m jealous~ If I had the ability to accelerate my knowledge and understanding, perhaps my research could make a breakthrough. You¡¯re right about what you said earlier; these unrealistic and fantastical pseudo-science fiction novels lack substantive reference value. But throughout the whole of Zion, no one has researched consciousness¡­ After all, in such a world, having the conditions to conduct scientific discussions is a luxury. Since there are no predecessors¡¯ experiences, this creation of consciousness from nothingness has to rely solely on myself. These seemingly useless pseudo-science fiction might offer me some research inspiration from their unrestrained imagination. For example, Faye¡¯s current semi-physical state attached to me was inspired by a novel called ¡®Mind Wanderer.¡¯ Without this idea, Faye would still be following me around like a living dead, and I might even lose her at any moment.¡± Hearing this, Yi Chen also took out a bottle of grape wine from the refrigerator and started drinking with Reagan, discussing ¡®research¡¯ in detail. With his experience from his research days before his death, he quickly delved into more in-depth topics with Reagan. Perhaps it was because they drank too much, Reagan actually divulged some secrets that shouldn¡¯t be shared, He wasn¡¯t an electrician or an ordinary researcher; because of his contributory research in the field of neural circuits, he had become a [Senior Researcher] favoured by the Station Head, and was the only human stage senior researcher at the Power Station. This also explained why Reagan had the conditions, and even the Station Head¡¯s support, to create the biomechanical enhancement that was the spine system on his back, representing the highest exoskeleton technology of Zion¡¯s Power Station. The more they talked, the deeper they delved, Reagan, drunken from the wine, once again took off his upper garment and sat sideways on the bed. Yi Chen had Grapes also open his eyes to carefully observe the structure of the spine, then, like a massage therapist, began to perform plant-based therapy on the spine. ¡°` Previously at the hotel, Yi Chen only helped Reagan suppress the pain, but this time he truly helped with equipment tuning and even reinforced the devices and tried to further stabilize the neural connections to reduce the rejection response. ¡­ On the afternoon of the third day, the carriage, which had been speeding the entire time, finally came to a halt. They had arrived at ¡°Yarsoto Town,¡± a stop along the way, It was a small town completely managed by the Organization, serving as a crucial supply hub; any gentleman carrying out missions in the nearby area could rest here temporarily. The town¡¯s gentleman facilities, marked out as follows: 1. ¡°Alexander Luden¡¯s Tailor Shop¡± on South Street offered free clothing alterations and repairs for gentlemen on missions. 2. ¡°Seagull Clinic¡± at the intersection in the middle of town provided quick treatment and hospitalization services free of charge for injured gentlemen. If a patient was confirmed to be seriously infected and transforming into a Patient, and if the head of the clinic judged the situation irreversible, the clinic had the right to perform euthanasia and retain the body for research. To purchase the Seagull Clinic¡¯s exclusive secret medicine, one had to speak with the head of the clinic and obtain a qualification; even then, it would cost heavy gold to acquire. 3. To the east of the town was a lake known as Cold Lake. Its size was about the same as the lake in Green Lake Town, but it was much shallower, at most ten meters deep, and had experienced no Pathological transformations. Surrounding this lake was a special cemetery¡ªCold Lake Cemetery. The reason it was special was that the most important and central gravesite was the lake itself; most of the bodies were buried at the bottom of the lake. Furthermore, the more bodies there were, the clearer Cold Lake became. During daylight, one could see the tombstones standing at the bottom of the lake from the shore. The method of lake burial was straightforward. As long as the body met the standards and rules, the tombstone would be tied to the body¡¯s back with hemp rope in advance, and by rowing a wooden boat to the designated burial point, the body could simply be dropped into the lake. The bodies that sank to the bottom would bury themselves in the soil, and the tombstones would stand in their proper places. Some of the maturely cultivated bodies were transported back to Zion and handed over to Hippocrates Hospital for research to obtain information on water-related illnesses and to prepare for future sea ventures. ¡­ The three teams would regroup for one day at this stop to further confirm the details of the Relic event. Everyone, including the Coachman, was invited to dine at the town¡¯s most famous hotel, the floors above offering rooms for all to rest free of charge. Just as everyone had taken their seats and the food had not yet been served, a limping old gentleman entered the hotel¡¯s door, his damp black rain boots on his feet, bringing in a sense of moistness to the entire hotel lobby. This was the town¡¯s main gentleman in charge and the Cemetery Manager¡ª¡±Limping Field.¡± His somewhat whitened eyes looked up and down at the group of young people who had come from far away, lingering for a moment on Yi Chen and Reagan, as if he had detected the aura of the cemetery on them. Information on ¡°Black Pus Disease,¡± ¡°Gathering Eye Disease,¡± and ¡°Septicemia¡± was laid out on the dining table, which had not yet been served. Limping Field placed one hand on the edge of the table, and before he spoke, a gurgling sound could be faintly heard emanating from his throat. ¡°As required by the Organization, after you thoroughly understand the rooted illnesses that occurred near Greyrell Mountain, each of you will need to choose one illness to eradicate to gain recognition from the Watcher; only then will he open the passage to the Old World for you. This choice will also determine your path up the mountain. If you cannot come to a decision after dinner, I will assign it directly.¡± Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 151: Route Selection Chapter 152: Chapter 151: Route Selection The manager of Cold Lake Cemetery, the limping Field. Upon seeing this elder, everyone instinctively became alert. Even the little grape in Yi Chen¡¯s body immediately shut its mouth and hid deeper. ¡°The disconcerting sensation of burial sitting heavily, these guys in charge of managing cemeteries are all just as uncomfortable. Try not to expose me; I don¡¯t want to interact with this old man¡­ Moreover, his grape is about to go bad, as if it¡¯s been soaked in water for too long.¡± ¡°Um, just stay hidden.¡± Yi Chen also felt a moist, burial-like sensation emanating from the elder, as if a moment of inattention would see them thrown into a river of corpses. The single document the old man threw on the dining table meant the captains of the three squads had to crowd together to examine it. The document was indeed detailed, analyzing the three ¡°rooted pathogens¡± of the Natural Grey Zone and then providing a corresponding difficulty rating. A brief summary followed: 1. [Black Pus Disease] ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï, relatively simple rooted pathogen, some distance from Holy Grail Mountain, with fewer available route information, requiring squads to subsequently find their own correct way up the mountain and locate the [Passage]. 2. [Gathering Eye Disease] -¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï, the most difficult rooted pathogen, occurring within Holy Grail Mountain. A few individuals with deep pathological infection have already found the correct path and might even have discerned the location of the [Passage]. 3. [Septicemia] -¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï+?, of intermediate difficulty, since investigative squads have never penetrated deeply into the Baron Mansion, the exact challenge is uncertain. The Baron Family, living in the mountains for many years, is likely to hold extensive information about Holy Grail Mountain and there might be family treasures left in the mansion. ¡­ When the captains finished perusing, a white-haired young man wearing a white robe and with Intelligence as his Main Attribute placed his right hand elegantly over his chest to introduce himself: ¡°Well, since we haven¡¯t formally met, I am Iskarion Lottson, currently employed at the Magician Association, though just a newbie assisting with miscellaneous tasks, specializing in ancient magic. We are a more traditional combat-magic pastor squad. Miss Jenny must handle both healing and perception and is not quite adept at dealing with spiritual events.¡± With the guidance of the white-haired youth, another captain began to introduce themselves; she was also the only female captain among the three teams. Short chestnut hair, a Gentleman¡¯s Coat tailored as body-fitting combat skin, an arm covered with a metal bracer, a sword on her left waist, and a metal shield bearing an elk pattern on her back. ¡°Norma Kopet, member of the Pathogen Investigative Team in waiting. Our squad has Robert responsible for exploration and deciphering texts from the Old World, and neither Larmer nor I are strong with [Sensing]. Similarly unfit for dealing with spiritual infection events,¡± Yi Chen caught the implied messages from the two captains and introduced himself with a smile: ¡°William Behrens, student at the Omphalo-Centric Academy¡­ Since both of you are reluctant to take on [Gathering Eye Disease], we¡¯ll handle it~ Our team members have high Perception. Although I, as captain, am relatively lower, I am fairly proficient with ¡®eyes¡¯.¡± As Yi Chen chose the Grey Area Pathogen he would confront, the little grape hidden inside him opened its mouth in excitement, seemingly about to feast on countless high-grade grapes. Seeing Yi Chen take on the most difficult task, the white-haired captain asked curiously: ¡°Oh? Mr. William, are you also skilled in Pupil Skills? No wonder in the previous competitions, when you faced that uniquely-identified Heavy Knight alone, you always found the right ¡®angles¡¯ to strike and dodge.¡± ¡°Not exactly Pupil Skills, just better eyesight.¡± ¡°I really envy such talent~¡± The white-haired man smiled, shifting his gaze to the other side. ¡°Miss Norma, for the remaining two pathogen areas, what are your preferences? Do you lean towards the village or towards investigating the Baron Mansion, where even the investigative team hasn¡¯t fully entered?¡± Norma herself being a reserve member of the investigative group, she was well aware of some of the internal rules regarding investigations. If one area in a certain time zone has not been examined, it is for sure that there are concerns, and it¡¯s left until last. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll take the Black Pus issue with the Village Chief.¡± White-haired Lottson made an OK gesture, appearing to get the outcome he wanted. ¡°No problem at all; our team will take care of that mysterious Baron hiding in his mansion. I¡¯m quite curious about what this fellow is up to on the mountain that he knows he¡¯ll get sick but still stays put.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s settled then! I hope everyone has a smooth climb and we¡¯ll journey to the Old World together.¡± Yi Chen could probably tell that this white-haired gentleman was no ordinary man, he had not used any obvious ancient magic in the previous qualification selection. Instead, he suppressed his opponent with basic magic alone. Indeed, an ancient aura different from the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± could be felt emanating from within him. Sensing that Yi Chen was stealthily observing him, the white-haired Lottson smiled amiably and tilted his head to glance at Yi Chen. ¡°Speaking of which, Mr. William appears to be a gentleman of physique, but in reality, you mainly rely on intelligence, right? Would you consider joining the Magician Association after graduation? If we could invite a genius like you, the chairman would definitely praise me.¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯ll see. I¡¯m still not sure how I should develop my future.¡± After the meal, the limping Field, upon receiving the ¡®mountain climbing route¡¯ chosen by the three teams, still spoke with a somber face: ¡°At this time tomorrow, carriages will take you to the respective areas. If you die in the deep mountains, at least don¡¯t let it be too shattered. Make sure your teammates can carry your complete body out and continue to contribute to the organization by placing you in my cemetery.¡± After a series of ill-omened farewells, the old man walked towards the exit, and just as he was about to vanish from everyone¡¯s sight, he suddenly turned around! His pale eyes once more gazed towards the young people at the dining table. Sadly lifting his withered arm, his curled index finger straightened gradually while emitting the sound of cracking bones, pointing at two people: ¡°You, and you¡­ come with me.¡± The ones named by Field were none other than Yi Chen and Reagan. Since the other party was a senior gentleman, as well as the person in charge along the way, they naturally could not refuse. Jin also waved his hand, ¡°You go ahead quickly, maybe you can get some benefits from this old guy. I¡¯ll go to the clinic here for a look, maybe I¡¯ll find some good corpses.¡± After exchanging a look, Yi Chen and Reagan followed the old man, with the latter grabbing the last chicken leg from the table. All the way in silence, they reached the eastern exit of the town, and as the scent of decay that pervaded the air reached their noses, Yi Chen and Reagan both thought back to their life in the cemetery. However, the rotten smell here was mingled with moisture, like a legless captain who kept his booted severed leg in a barrel with dead fish. After a hundred days at sea, the stench that emerged when the barrel was pried open. As they stepped into the cemetery, the limping Field finally spoke. ¡°You both have a strong scent of the cemetery on you¡­ Have you done such dirty work in other cemeteries before becoming gentlemen?¡± Yi Chen answered indifferently, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve spent some time in the Seven-Day Cemetery before.¡± ¡°Seven-Day¡­ That¡¯s Wilbert¡¯s place, right? And you, where did you come from?¡± Reagan, when talking about his cemetery experience, remembered some not so good memories, but the fat on his face quickly covered it up, ¡°Camberley Cemetery, I worked there for nine years.¡± ¡°The Great Cemetery, nine years? No wonder I could smell the strong odor as soon as I entered the hotel. It¡¯s rare that you could survive. I called you here because I¡¯m short-handed, and there¡¯s a batch of [important goods] at the bottom of the lake that needs to be transferred by tomorrow. I believe you gents who have come out of the cemetery can easily handle this task. Though I¡¯m old and only own this damp cemetery, I¡¯m not stingy enough to let you work for free. As long as you do a good job, the ¡®tomb products¡¯ you carry on you can benefit from me.¡± Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 152 Corpse Retriever Chapter 153: Chapter 152 Corpse Retriever The Cold Lake Cemetery workers are more aptly defined as ¡°corpse retrievers.¡± Unlike the Seven-Day Cemetery, which is divided into seven sections, each with different rules, here there is just one primary burial site ¨C Cold Lake ¨C while the surrounding shores are used to store ¡®seconds¡¯ without overly strict requirements. However, Cold Lake itself, as the core of the cemetery, has comparatively complex rules, beginning with the division of regions: [Outer Ring] Lake water temperature greater than or equal to -10¡æ, the outer ring area can bury and retrieve corpses at any time of day. [Central Ring] Lake water temperature between -10¡æ to -30¡æ, the middle area is limited to work between 00:00 ¨C 07:00. [Inner Heart] The lake center, where the temperature falls below -30¡æ, work is restricted to the hours of 00:00 ¨C 02:00. Additionally, there are a series of rules related to the lake: 1. The use of any illumination devices is forbidden; if there is any sign of ice formation on the lake surface, one may disperse it using kerosene lamps or torches, but once the ice layer disappears the light source must be immediately extinguished. 2. If a hand is seen extending out of the lake while boating, tie the provided black rope around the ring finger, and the arm will return to the lake on its own. If the finger already has a black rope tied to it, the outstretched hand gesture means ¡®friendly intentions,¡¯ just respond with a high-five, and the arm will sink. It is imperative to complete the above interactions; otherwise, the arm will continue to follow, and may eventually attack the boat. 3. If floating debris is spotted in the lake, it must be captured with a fishing net and immediately sent to the incinerator for destruction. If one finds paper objects, check the message recorded on them, and fulfill the requests as much as possible. If there is uncertainty about how to handle the information, one may ask the supervisor for advice. ¡­ There are seven more rules similar to the ones mentioned above, all of which are incredibly tedious; it¡¯s like catering to a group of demanding elderly living at the bottom of the lake, with the additional duty of cleaning. Hidden within each rule is danger, and poor service could lead to a threat to one¡¯s life. Being in water makes it far more dangerous than a proper land cemetery, which is why it¡¯s often difficult to find staff for this place. Yi Chen and Reagan were summoned temporarily to help out, and although the job could be done in just one evening, only gentlemen with cemetery experience like them were capable of rendering assistance ¡ª it would be very dangerous for ordinary corpse retrievers. The limping Field¡¯s request was to excavate and package five special corpses buried in the Lake Heart District; a corpse transport van from the organization would be waiting on the shore to coordinate. Considering it was the two young men¡¯s first time on the job, Field personally paddled the boat, bringing them to the Lake Heart ten minutes ahead of schedule. Just as the rules stated, the temperature in this part of the lake was frighteningly low, but at the first sensation of the cold, the gentlemen¡¯s clothes immediately adapted by padding and thickening, even producing heat internally. This warm and moist leather-like feeling was like being sandwiched between burly men who had just played a game of basketball on all sides. While heading towards the lake¡¯s heart, pale arms extended from the calm surface numerous times, Yi Chen immediately complied with the rules, either tying a knot around their ring fingers or giving a high-five. The hands appeared to be quite happy with the interaction, shaking merrily before sinking back into the lake. Along the way, they also found a paper boat. After netting it, it surprisingly had the message ¨C [I want an autobiography novel]. For some reason, Yi Chen felt like laughing, but Field explained very seriously, ¡°Their demand for written material indicates that their consciousness is awakening. These needs must be met¡­ It¡¯s just unfortunate that there is no time to read to them now, as they all need to be retrieved.¡± Yi Chen caught the keyword ¡®consciousness awakening¡¯ from this statement and thought of Reagan¡¯s girlfriend. But there¡¯s an essential difference here; the bodies at the bottom of the lake could awaken consciousness because they are physically complete, retaining whole and even relatively fresh brains. However, Reagan¡¯s girlfriend initially had only one spinal bone left, and had to self-construct consciousness based on the genetic information remaining between the bones, a completely different concept. [Lake Heart District] The boat stopped right on schedule at midnight. The time, combined with the hazy moonlight reflection on the lake surface, reminded Yi Chen of some unpleasant memories. The Twilight Clinic also went through a transformation at this same hour when the moon appeared. Being far from Zion this time, Yi Chen had been worried about the moon on their journey. At this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but look up at the sky. However, the hazy moon had shown no signs of drawing closer, still obscured by the clouds, with nothing amiss. At that moment, the limping Field handed out five moisture-retaining body bags to the two, ¡°You¡¯ve read the rules; I needn¡¯t say more, off you go.¡± Yi Chen exchanged a glance with Reagan, and they both dived into the lake water, cold at minus 50¡æ. The gentlemen¡¯s clothes had already enveloped their entire bodies in advance, isolating them from the lake water and continuously keeping them warm. The lake was not deep, and the two quickly descended to the ¡°Lake Heart Burial Area,¡± only ten meters deep. There were eight graves in total, and three of them had already been excavated in advance. The remaining five graves were the temporary task for Yi Chen and Reagan. At this point, Grape followed, boosting the visibility in the area and speaking about the situation here as someone who had experience. ¡°The bodies buried in this kind of area are at least premium, The three that were taken away in advance were either fully mature like me, with awakened consciousness fit for the organization¡¯s use, or they were disposed of early due to hazardous mutations. The five bodies you are dealing with haven¡¯t ¡®matured¡¯ to the point where they should be excavated, It must be because of the spread of the Grey Zone, and the bodies need to be transferred early. After all, a Natural Grey Zone cannot be eliminated, and once it spreads to the town, mutations will occur in all the corpses between the cemeteries.¡± ¡°Does that mean this cemetery will be closing soon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely the case, otherwise, why would that old man always have such a stern face? Let¡¯s get to work quickly, I¡¯ll help out a little, for the sake of the old man being willing to give me a benefit.¡± Next was the collaboration between Yi Chen and Reagan in retrieving corpses. Gajigaji~ Yi Chen rapidly excavated with plants he released, and once the whole body was unearthed, Reagan would instantaneously envelop it with a body bag controlled by thought. When they opened the first grave, the body lying inside made both of them pause for a moment. A flawlessly pure and unblemished corpse of a young boy, His skin, almost like clear water, even shimmered subtly, but was immediately covered by Reagan with the body bag. Perhaps it was due to the presence of Grape, the so-called ¡®overlord of the cemetery,¡¯ constantly monitoring, Or perhaps it was the pressure unconsciously exerted by Miss Faye, The process of retrieving the bodies went very smoothly, with not a single corpse showing resistance or any inclination to attack, at most they just opened their gem-like eyes for a glance. Additionally, the corpses in the Lake Heart Cemetery appeared to be no older than twenty, with almost identical skin texture, as moist and lustrous as jade. It was soon the turn of the last grave. The plant with a flattened structure excavated rapidly, like a spade, but this body seemed to be buried deeper, with no trace of it even after digging two meters. Just as they grew puzzled and vigilant, The tip of the plant touched something hard that was not soil¡ªit was the skull of the body, and they could barely see tufts of silver-white hair. Continuing to dig, when the entire skull was exposed, Yi Chen froze. A sense of fear instantly occupied his entire vision and spread throughout his body! ¡°How is this possible!¡± What lay in the last grave was a youth with a bandage over his eyes, the other eye slowly opening, forming a crescent moon shape in silver. His mouth also opened and writhed! Without the transmission of sound, the voice resonated directly in Yi Chen¡¯s mind. ¡°William, long time no see~¡± Gurgle! Yi Chen was so frightened that he choked on a mouthful of the cold lake water, Almost instantly upon entry, his esophagus and stomach were severely frostbitten, with multiple organs suffering from cold injuries in a short period, and the ¡°Black Umbilical Cord¡± hidden in his abdomen immediately came to the rescue to repair the damage. Meanwhile, Yi Chen¡¯s head also heard the calling voice of Grape: ¡°William! William!¡± The internal stimulation and the voice in his mind made Yi Chen shake his head violently. When he opened his eyes again, The head of the corpse that had been unearthed was no longer the image of ¡°Moon Scar,¡± but that of a young corpse with naturally white hair, looking rather similar. A weak moonlight, piercing through the water, just happened to fall onto the young man¡¯s face¡­ It seemed that this strand of moonlight had created the illusion just now. Suddenly, The words from Twilight Clinic at the time of parting flashed through Yi Chen¡¯s mind: ¡°The-Moon-is-watching-you.¡± Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Reunion Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Reunion By the lakeside, five valuable corpses were loaded onto the hearse. ¡°You two, come with me¡­¡± Limping Field led the way, hobbling in front with the two following behind. After circumventing a muddy path paved with stones, they saw the towering chimney of a furnace that was not in operation, as well as the adjacent manager¡¯s house. As the two stepped into the house, their feet immediately splashed up a large amount of icy water. Looking down, they saw that the ground was covered with a layer of water stains, no wonder the old man wore rain boots all the time. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it; this water comes from Cold Lake. If the water inside the house becomes muddy or the temperature changes, I can detect and deal with abnormalities in Cold Lake immediately.¡± Perhaps it was the efficiency of the two young men, Field¡¯s tone also seemed to improve a bit. After Yi Chen and Reagan found seats and sat down, he continued: ¡°Since you have worked in the cemetery, you must have noticed that the corpses we just retrieved weren¡¯t ¡®matured.¡¯ Can you guess why?¡± Yi Chen immediately provided an answer: ¡°The expansion of Grey Zone is uncontrollable, spreading before reaching the town, and all the corpses in the cemetery must be relocated, even the cemetery itself and the entire town must be moved.¡± ¡°Correct, though the Grey Zone of Holy Grail Mountain will take at least two more years to spread here. But areas like cemeteries are prone to be affected in advance, and relocating corpses must be prioritized. There¡¯s no actual relocation happening here; the cemetery itself relies on Cold Lake for existence and cannot be moved elsewhere. My old bones also can¡¯t handle much more cemetery management; once everything here is taken care of, I should fully retire.¡± The raspy and bubbling speech revealed a sense of helplessness as if about to lose the most important thing in his life. ¡°It¡¯s your luck that you¡¯ve arrived here at this point. From now until you officially depart, there are seventeen hours left, and you can bury the ¡®tomb products¡¯ you carry on you at the center of the lake, harvesting the essence of corpses that have settled in Cold Lake for many years. Take as much as you can; nothing will be left here as this place is to be demolished.¡± Upon hearing this, Little Grape no longer hid itself, directly popping out from the neckline, unabashedly saying: ¡°What a fortune!¡± Little Grape was well aware of cemetery operations. Each cemetery under the organization has its ¡®specialty¡¯, and harvesting such specialties would be very beneficial for an incomplete cemetery product like itself. When the old man saw Little Grape¡¯s true form, his eyes squinted into a slit. Having decades of experience in the cemetery, he was temporarily unable to categorize Little Grape, uncertain of what type of cemetery product it was. The only information he could gather was ¡®incomplete¡¯. ¡°Is this a Seven-Day Cemetery product?¡± Before Yi Chen could answer, Little Grape made a circle with its arms, pointing all six fingers at itself. ¡°Yes, I am indeed the peak masterpiece created by Mr. Wilbert utilizing the unique mechanism of the Seven-Day Graveyard, with countless efforts. By the way, old man, you meant what you said earlier, right? Cold Lake is really a great place, can I absorb all the refined corpse essence settled at the bottom of the lake?¡± ¡°The lake has been cleared, this place is about to be abandoned, as long as you can do it, sucking the entire lake dry wouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­ it would actually save me the trouble.¡± Little Grape was utterly excited, slapping Yi Chen on the back of the head, ¡°William, let¡¯s hurry up!¡± Yet, Yi Chen was not in a hurry, instead turning to his teammate, ¡°Reagan, are you going?¡± ¡°Faye¡¯s form cannot be buried; I¡¯ll stay here and discuss other matters with Mr. Field.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In Cold Lake, Yi Chen rowed alone, as the last corps from the lake¡¯s center had been removed; no arms reached out from the water¡ªan icy and silent expanse. Little Grape stood on his shoulder, posing like a captain with one hand on his hip and the other pointing toward the center of the lake. Saliva dripped from its mouth as it spun its eyeball, visibly excited. ¡°This historically significant cemetery will surely awaken more memories and make me more complete! By the way, William, how did you handle the retrieval at the bottom of the lake? Why did you suddenly freeze and even choke on water? I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°I saw something ominous.¡± ¡°Is your brain malfunctioning again, or did you really see something?¡± Yi Chen¡¯s expression remained normal, casually pointing towards the faint moon hidden behind the clouds in the night sky, Little Grape quickly grasped the meaning, and its spirited demeanor suddenly retracted, pulling back to the shoulder showing only half an eyeball. ¡°Moon¡­ Scar? No way?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but ever since we left the city, I¡¯ve felt as though the moon was watching us.¡± ¡°The last time we headed to the church in the village, the incident area was completely obscured by tall trees and high walls, so we didn¡¯t have much concern.¡± ¡°But this time leaving the city, we will be exposed under the night sky the entire journey, and we might even be closer to the moon during our climb.¡± Little Grape slowly calmed down and said to himself for comfort: ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it carefully, last time in the village you seemed to have received some assistance from moonlight¡­ If Moon Scar wanted to kill you, it could have done so during the carriage ride, there was no need to wait until now. You must have seen it wrong. Now, the first priority is to hurry and enhance yourself. Wait until I become more complete and recover more memories and abilities. And then wait until you break through the Limit of Man, then you will have the capability to confront that guy face to face.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Yi Chen responded softly, not saying much more. The wooden boat, unobstructed, once again reached the coldest heart of the lake. With a bend of the knees, Little Grape jumped, somersaulting three and a half times in the air, expecting to plunge directly into the water, yet landed on the edge of the boat. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, aren¡¯t you going down?¡± ¡°Hmm~ I¡¯m incomplete at the moment, and basically powerless in combat on my own, you know what I mean?¡± Crackle crackle~ Soft plant roots shot from Yi Chen¡¯s fingertips, fastening onto Little Grape¡¯s body like a safety belt. ¡°I¡¯ll stay on the boat until you surface¡­ Should there be any issues, just tug at the root and I¡¯ll know.¡± Little Grape gave Yi Chen a thumbs up and dived into the lake. When it came to burying, Little Grape was a professional. It swiftly located the center of the lake, quickly dug into the earth and buried itself. Its black hair began to grow out, Sampling, feeling, and drawing from the essence of Cold Lake, and the accumulated essence of the corpses buried over decades. Gradually, the entire surface of the lake started to change because of Little Grape¡¯s burial. Previously clear and transparent, the lake water began to bubble with black, seemingly on the verge of turning the water black. Yi Chen, however, paid no attention to these changes, nor did he care how much Little Grape could harvest. He sat cross-legged on the wooden boat, seemingly deep in thought, seemingly waiting for something¡­ Upon confirming that Little Grape had entered its state, click¡ª Yi Chen proactively severed the plant roots, temporarily cutting off his connection with Little Grape. It wasn¡¯t long before a wooden boat slowly appeared in the pitch-black view, strangely causing no ripples as it moved, as if floating on the water surface. Due to the distance and the fog obscuring the view, it was hard to make out the features and shapes of the passengers. Not soon after, a very familiar yet dangerous voice came from across: ¡°It seems you already knew I would come.¡± Yi Chen responded indifferently, ¡°The illusion at the lake¡¯s bottom wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Since a signal had been sent out, naturally, I was prompted to respond.¡± ¡°William, I¡¯m curious~ Though you vaguely felt the moon¡¯s gaze and were sure that the lake-bottom illusion was information I deliberately cast, why didn¡¯t you discuss the possibility of my arrival with that old man? That lame old fellow is quite capable. If he had been on guard, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to show myself easily.¡± ¡°What use would it have been to stop you on the way? During the climb, I¡¯ll be even closer to the moon. If you really wanted to approach, it would only worsen the situation¡­ If you seek a meeting, a talk, or to resolve some matters, now is the best time. Clarifying some matters in advance would be good for both of us. Also, thanks for the moonlight support back in Jose Valley.¡± The wooden boat came closer, and the human figures seated one in front of the other became somewhat visible. ¡°Rest assured~ I¡¯m not here to kill you this time¡­ but to have you repay a favor from before, and in turn, help me with something.¡± ¡°What help?¡± ¡°Take me to the other side of the channel¡­¡± As this was said, the boat fully approached. The youth with moonlight silver hair and a sincere smile on his face seemed as if he was reuniting after a long separation. By his side, ¡®the skeletal¡¯ female Doctor remained, but her form had changed, no longer responsible for IV duties but now hanging numerous surgical tools from her thigh. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 154 Conditions Chapter 155: Chapter 154 Conditions The tips of the two wooden boats just touched, forming a straight line across the center of the lake. An unintended creation of the Twilight Clinic, the perpetrator of the False Moon incident, the origin of the new Moon Transformation Disease, the unrestrained Patient Zero. Moon Trace Lorrian, Lorrian, the Moonscars. In this meeting, Lorrian seemed to have gained more understanding of the world and mastered deeper methods of concealment, preventing Yi Chen from seeing the ¡°Frame System¡± that should have been visible above his head. If it weren¡¯t for the female doctor by his side, one might actually mistake him for an ordinary human. Lorrian stretched his right arm toward the sky, his palm making slight stirring motions¡­ The dense clouds were instantly dispersed somewhat, casting down a spotlight-like effect of moonlight, coincidentally landing on the center of the lake. With Cold Lake as a stage, and the two as its main characters. The primary purpose of this moonlight was disguise and concealment. If someone happened to pass by the lakeside of the cemetery, looking towards the center of the lake, they would see nothing at all. ¡°Alright, now no one will disturb us, let¡¯s continue our conversation. How about it? My request is quite simple, to cross through the passage to the Old World on the other side.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go yourself? You¡¯re a patient, surely you can find some Grey Zone with a passage to cross through?¡± Lorrian patiently explained: ¡°You think too simply~ Those passages that once existed have long since expanded, distorted, and decayed with the passage of time, some have even transformed into Abysses, occupied by various patient forces, some even more formidable than I. Moreover, those large passages and abysses lead directly to the deep parts of the Old World, which is troublesome. I currently belong to no faction, and I do not want to get too entangled with these characters, I just want to go and see what the place of origin of the disease looks like, why it has spread to this world?¡± This declaration sounded very discordant to Yi Chen, It didn¡¯t sound like something a patient would say, more like a human¡­ But then again, upon reflection, Lorrian was indeed different from the typical patients, and his rationale indeed made sense. Compared to Lene, the ¡°Patient of Life ¨C Lene¡± he had met in the village, who had a definite pathological origin and was drawn over by some mysterious force from the Old World after she completed Open Source, Lorrian, being Patient Zero, did not belong to any pathogen and had no direct connection with the Old World. Lorrian, who had transformed from a human, indeed made sense wanting to see the birthplace of the disease in the Old World. Yi Chen nodded slightly, reluctantly accepting his explanation, and continued to ask: ¡°Then you must have sensed the emergence of the ¡®new passage¡¯ from Holy Grail Mountain, which brought you close to this area, and that¡¯s how you coincidentally met me here. Since the newly formed passage that only goes to the surface layer of the Old World fits your needs, why not just go directly, why seek me out?¡± ¡°Your organization¡¯s ¡®Watcher¡¯ is not to be underestimated. If I were to force my way through, I might end up severely injured, and arriving on the other side with injuries could be really troublesome if I encounter some unforeseen dangers. After all, I have not been to the Old World before, it¡¯s necessary to be cautious, isn¡¯t it? Relax~ All you need to do is sneak past the Watcher, get me successfully to the other end of the passage, and I will leave on my own initiative.¡± At this point, Moon Trace Lorrian suddenly stood up, stepped onto the shaky wooden boat beside Yi Chen, bent forward, and as his silver hair brushed past Yi Chen¡¯s scalp, his bloodless lips came close to Yi Chen¡¯s ear, his right hand covering, whispering a secret between the two of them. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll kill everyone in the town, including your girlfriend and the new chubby kid you¡¯ve met¡­ Of course, I am a man of my word, after killing them, I will let you leave alone.¡± Ater whispering, Lorrian gently patted Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder and returned to his own boat, waiting for a response. Yi Chen asked without changing his expression: ¡°How are you going to pass? It¡¯s not possible to disguise you as a corpse and carry you all the way there, right?¡± ¡°Hey~ You really are a Tomb Guardian, thinking of such a crude method, ¡®Watcher¡¯ is not easily fooled. I¡¯ve already thought of two safest, most reliable solutions, you can choose either one. First, I immediately kill one of your teammates, then use ¡®Perfect Performance¡¯ to disguise as them, and when we meet the Watcher, we need the cooperation of spoken assistance to bluff our way through.¡± ¡°Impossible¡­¡± ¡°I knew you were a principled, humane guy and definitely wouldn¡¯t accept the first option. Let us talk about the safer option two then.¡± Saying this, Moon Trace pointed at the female doctor by his side. ¡°First, let me introduce, this is my newly improved atypical patient, also one of my favorite female doctors, I haven¡¯t given her a name¡­[She]is fine to be referred to as this for now. After leaving Twilight Clinic, I visited many human cities and had private exchanges with some highly skilled doctors, usually taking their most flexible finger at the end of our meetings. A total of thirteen fingers have been attached to her body, and after long-term training, she has become very proficient in various types of surgical procedures.¡± During the introduction, the fingers connected to the female doctor¡¯s body via catheters also swayed, seemingly greeting Yi Chen. ¡°The second option is very simple, it requires no one¡¯s death. We only need to perform a surgery on site, cut off half of your body, and then sew me into it. Once we successfully head to the Old World, I will voluntarily separate from you.¡± ¡°Do you want to take over my body?¡± As Yi Chen cast this critical question, Lorrian hastily waved his hand to deny it, ¡°Although I am very interested in you and was initially insistent on combining with you to return to the ¡®Dual Moon Form.¡¯ But now, my combination with Elton John (a Moon Transformation patient with performing abilities, former theater owner) is going well. I don¡¯t need you for the time being.¡± At this moment, Moon Trace removed the medical gauze from his right eye. A full moon pupil emerged, its surface still marred with some impurities, needing more time to recuperate. ¡°Even if I really wanted to take over your body, not now. Your current developmental state is very good, much better than I anticipated. I would not obstruct such development by grafting an imperfect body prematurely. This time, I am merely asking you for help, don¡¯t slap me with the villain label. Compared to some of you humans, I am quite benevolent.¡± ¡°Benevolent? The benevolence that wipes out an entire city?¡± Yi Chen retorted fearlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I just placed the moon in the sky, never getting involved personally¡­ And besides, they might not see it as a slaughter but more as a ¡®Promotion Selection.¡¯ That¡¯s enough~ If we delay any longer, your chubby friend might come along with the Tomb Guardian to find you, tell me your decision.¡± There was never really a choice to begin with, but Yi Chen had been aware of this from the start, ¡°Option two, but I have three conditions. 1. You can cut off half of my body, but my entire brain must be preserved. 2. Bury the cut-off part of my body at the bottom of the lake and conceal it using your abilities. 3. You may not interfere with any of my actions during the climb.¡± ¡°Hmm~ I can agree to the first two, but this third one, we need to talk it over a bit. If you are not strong enough and about to die, letting me help you out a bit shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Then let us begin the surgery!¡± Moon Trace Lorrian, having learned gentlemanly manners, elegantly extended a hand to lead Yi Chen to his wooden boat, After the female doctor flashed a disturbingly eerie smile through her black hair, she plunged a knife into Yi Chen¡¯s neck, slicing it open along the centerline. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 155: The Black Fog Chapter 156: Chapter 155: The Black Fog I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. When Yi Chen opened his eyes again, there was only a wooden boat left in the center of the lake, with no sign of the female doctor or Lorrian. However, his completely severed right half was packed in a special ¡°Blood Stopping Fresh Film¡± and placed at the bow of the boat. According to Yi Chen¡¯s request, the right half bore a shallow Moon Seal, which, under the seal¡¯s effect, remained in a concealed state invisible to others, so that even if it was buried at the bottom of the lake, no one would discover it. Looking at the half body at the bow, Yi Chen suddenly looked down at the ¡®other right half¡¯ on his body. There were no signs of stitching, just a few minor differences from before. The new ¡®right half¡¯ that grew on his body was slightly paler, and even under the moonlight, it exuded a faint silver luster. Such subtle differences could easily be covered up with gentleman¡¯s clothes. While Yi Chen was getting dressed quickly, a gasp of astonishment suddenly came from the Moon Scar inside him. ¡°William, when did you get this inside you? What a surging life force, no wonder you showed no sign of life fading during the surgery. Oh! It was last time, right? The time I helped you, and you seemed to be in a special area full of vitality. Also, this umbilical cord seems to really despise me as an ¡®outsider¡¯. Hurry up and calm it down, or else we¡¯ll have to redo the surgery.¡± As the Moon Scar spoke, Yi Chen could also feel a strong disturbance at the site of the umbilical cord in his abdomen; he immediately tried to communicate with the umbilical cord, conveying this thought. Gradually, the disturbance in the abdomen disappeared. ¡°This is a gift from a friend, none of your business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in such things anyway~ By the way, I can smell a woman¡¯s aura on it, are you two-timing now, William?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense¡­¡± ¡°Besides, your current right half is made up of my substance, why don¡¯t you try that weapon you made out of Moon rats? The effect might be a bit different.¡± Yi Chen, having accepted the temporary combination with Moon Scar, didn¡¯t intentionally reject the other¡¯s statements and suggestions. He took out the ¡°Moon of Slaughter¡± from his suitcase. When his fingers dug into the mechanism and pulled the axe handle, switching it to full moon mode, Under the spotlight of the moon, the axe blade emitted a silver luster far beyond the usual, even becoming somewhat ethereal, like a mirage. Yi Chen could directly sense that once the axe hit the target, it would burn a deeper Moon Seal, doubling its effect. ¡°You humans are not bad after all~ Using the core of that useless rat to forge such a nearly flawless weapon. That¡¯s enough for now~ I¡¯m going to rest for a bit; you better take care of things here quickly and get climbing. If there¡¯s too much delay, your body might unconsciously retain a part of me, so don¡¯t come looking for me if there are any side effects later on.¡± As the voice of Moon Scar faded, so did the spotlight falling through the gaps in the clouds, returning to tranquility. Yi Chen showed little change in expression, merely raising his hand to check the time on his watch. The communication and surgery together had taken a full five hours; sunrise was not far off. He picked up his ¡®right half¡¯ wrapped in the fresh film, and with a standard diving motion, headed towards the bottom of the lake. During the dive, he could clearly see that the color of Cold Lake had turned almost black with very low visibility. The Lake Heart burial area was densely covered with black hair, with no place to set foot, eerie and chilling. ¡°Little Grape really seems to be able to completely drain Cold Lake Cemetery¡­¡± Yi Chen chose not to bury his right half in the Lake Heart district but instead in an inconspicuous middle ring area untouched by the black hair. Having completed the burial, He reconnected the plant link with Little Grape, as if nothing had happened, and went back to the boat to catch up on sleep. ¡­ Cemetery Manager¡¯s room. The limping Field had been in discussion with Reagan for a full four hours. Field was greatly shocked by the young man before him, who was not only obese but had even remembered to take a chicken leg with him when he left the hotel. The things he spoke of, whether it was his understanding of concepts like corpses, cemeteries, and burial, or his ideas of combining these things with contemporary technology, reached or even exceeded Field¡¯s own standards. This simply didn¡¯t seem like the words of a young person, In Field¡¯s view, this young man already had what it takes to open a cemetery and not just any cemetery, but a scientific one equipped with power generating devices that had never existed before. At the end of the discussion, the limping Field didn¡¯t know how to restore the consciousness of a body left with only a single bone to its condition before death, But out of appreciation for the young man before him, he rolled up his sleeve and removed the bone wristband he wore on his wrist. ¡°If the cemetery is removed, this grave-guarding tool will be of no use to me anymore¡­ Since I can¡¯t help you restore consciousness, take this as compensation. The wristband was handcrafted by me. It will allow you to communicate better with ¡®her¡¯ and prevent any out-of-control situations.¡± As Reagan took the cold and moist bone wristband, his gentleman¡¯s clothes immediately read the related tool information. ¡®Chains of Shackles¡¯ ¨C A minority of special corpses continue to grow during burial, and an extra section of cervical spine that protrudes through the epidermis, also known as ¡®Chains of Shackles bone¡¯. The bracelet, forged from multiple sections of such bones, can enhance the mental dominion of the wearer. Reagan¡¯s pupils noticeably dilated as he read the information about the bracelet. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Field.¡± ¡°With your ¡®Perception¡¯, you should be able to use this thing properly. Let¡¯s call it a night ~ Staying up late isn¡¯t a good habit. You should go back and rest. The journey to Holy Grail Mountain is not going to be easy.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Reagan left the manager¡¯s house and headed back to the lakeside. Glimpsing the boat and the figure lying on it at the heart of the lake, he then departed straight away. However, As Reagan was about to step out of the cemetery gates, he suddenly turned to a nearby ordinary grave mound that was still not in a hurry to be relocated. These graves, set on the land by the shore, were the lowest class of burial. He put on the bracelet and directed his palm towards the mounded grave. Rustle, rustle, rustle~ The grave mound loosened, and a decayed, rotting arm burst forth. As Reagan pressed his palm downwards, the arm of the animated corpse obediently retreated back into place, smoothly covering up the opening with soil. ¡°This is a great item¡­¡± ¡­ Evening After having their last meal at the hotel, the three teams were ready to head to Greyrell Mountain, each according to the route they had chosen, to eliminate the rooted pathogens and locate the ¡®Passage¡¯. The white-haired Lotson, skilled in ancient magic, looked around at the dinner table and, not seeing a particular person, asked Reagan, who appeared approachable: ¡°Speaking of which, where did your captain go? Why isn¡¯t he coming to eat?¡± ¡°William is dealing with some private matters with Mr. Field for now. He should be here later.¡± ¡°Mr. Field? No wonder I haven¡¯t seen him all day. I really envy geniuses like him; people appreciate them wherever they go.¡± As everyone left the hotel and prepared to board their carriages, their gaze was uniformly drawn to the east side of the town, precisely in the direction of the cemetery. A demonic, eerie black mist billowed in the air, growing thicker by the moment. The gentleman stationed at this location, even the head doctor from Moonlight Clinic, rushed over to check the situation, for that was Cold Lake Cemetery, the domain of Mr. Field, the person in charge. If something happened there, the entire town would be in jeopardy. Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 156: The Change of the Little Grape Chapter 157: Chapter 156: The Change of the Little Grape Due to the special contact with Moon Scar last night, and the physical burden brought by the surgery, Yi Chen slept right up until almost departure time. When he vaguely woke up, the scene before him immediately made his sleepiness disappear. The once crystal-clear Cold Lake had been completely blackened, and there was even a large amount of black hair emerging from the surface of the lake, waving like water plants. In addition, Lame Field, unbeknownst when, had already boarded the boat and was now standing at the bow observing the changes in Cold Lake. ¡°Awake yet? You seemed very tired last night. What happened?¡± In response to Field¡¯s query, Yi Chen calmly answered, ¡°We¡¯re about to head to Holy Grail Mountain, so I tried to sleep as much as possible, otherwise I might not have the chance to sleep for the next few days.¡± Field did not suspect anything; he was more concerned with the matter at hand. ¡°Hmm¡­ This tomb product of yours, is it really from the Seven-Day Cemetery?¡± ¡°Yes, Little Grape and I left the Seven-Day Cemetery together to partake in the Organization¡¯s assessment and have reached this point. As for what it actually is, I am not too sure myself, even the gentleman¡¯s clothes at the current stage are unable to identify it.¡± ¡°Even gentleman¡¯s clothes can¡¯t recognize it? Interesting. Once I handle the remaining matters here, I¡¯ll have to find some time to meet that young Wilbert.¡± While the two were discussing Little Grape, the surface of the lake stirred. Gurgle gurgle~ One by one, black bubble-like objects surfaced on the lake, which from certain angles, looked like shiny eyeballs. Each burst bubble released a strand of dense black mist into the sky, and as the quantity increased, a frightening demonic face even faintly formed in the air. Such phenomena attracted the town¡¯s gentlemen, who sat around the shore of Cold Lake, weapons drawn and alert for any terrifying creatures that might emerge from beneath the lake. At this moment, Lame Field¡¯s voice spread from the center of the lake, echoing throughout the entire cemetery: ¡°No need to be tense, this isn¡¯t a dangerous situation. The bodies in Cold Lake have all been moved, and what¡¯s happening now is just the final treatment of the lake water.¡± Hearing Mr. Field say this, everyone sheathed their weapons, and most gentlemen returned to their posts. However, The team members attracted by the phenomena and some gentlemen who were off today remained there, wanting to see exactly what was going on. Gradually, As the black mist in the sky slowly dispersed, the black hair floating on the surface of the lake also completely retracted. The water level dropped about two meters, with the water becoming turbid and pitch-black, unfit for the burial of bodies. Just then, an unnerving sense of being watched emanated from the bottom of the lake. Even the gentlemen standing on the shore could distinctly feel it, as if their bodies were being completely seen through by this peering sensation, involuntarily tightening their clothes and stepping back. It seemed as if a massive eye at the bottom of the lake was slowly opening. Only Jin and Reagan made no movement, because they knew what lay at the bottom of the lake. Jin¡¯s mask was partly lifted, revealing pink, thin lips holding a strawberry-flavored lollipop, silently watching everything unfold. ¡°William¡¯s eye has been enhanced; our journey up the mountain will be much easier now~ I really don¡¯t want to waste too much time on such a boring task as climbing a mountain.¡± At that moment, the gigantic creature at the lake¡¯s bottom began to ascend, causing the entire lake to churn violently. Just as something terrifying was about to break through the surface¡­ Pfft! A weak splash arose at the center of the lake. A black, globular mass tumbled three and a half turns in the air before landing steadfastly on the edge of the boat, its entire body dripping with water. The mouth holding eyeballs issued an excited, mixed voice: ¡°Phew! That was so comfortable. This lake really is a great thing, it has managed to wash away all the dirt accumulated over hundreds of years from my body~ I feel so much lighter now.¡± Saying this, Little Grape even began to jump on the spot, performing several difficult aerial flips in succession. Slap~ As the final action ended, his feet landed firmly on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders, and then he gracefully bowed to the limping Field. ¡°Thank you very much, I will keep the ¡®Will of Cold Lake¡¯ within my body; as long as I am alive, it means the Cold Lake Cemetery exists in another form.¡± In the midst of his words, grape¡¯s oral cavity unexpectedly overflowed with streams of pure Cold Lake Water, allowing the eyeball in his mouth to float upon this special icy saliva, the washed eyeball gleaming brightly. At this sight, Mr. Field genuinely laughed from his heart. ¡°It seems like an old bone like me should really retire and pass on the cemetery¡­ It¡¯s already past the scheduled time to board, it¡¯s time for you all to do what you need to do.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! This grape is going to wreak havoc!¡± The overconfident Grape immediately performed a set of Chaotic Dog Boxing on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulders. Having been buried at the bottom of the lake for a whole day, half of which was spent sleeping, Grape had no immediate plans on returning inside Yi Chen¡¯s body. The boat returned to shore, the squad gathered. ¡°Let¡¯s move out!¡± After bidding farewell to the limping Field, everyone naturally turned their attention to Grape, who started striking various poses under their gaze. Yi Chen also asked curiously, ¡°Grape, making such a big fuss, what benefits did you actually get? Or did you evolve to a more perfected stage?¡± ¡°With no good grapes to eat, progress my ass! Didn¡¯t I just mention it? The uniqueness of Cold Lake has cleaned my whole body, making my movements more agile. The grime on my body has accumulated for over a hundred years; it¡¯s not something that a simple bath can wash off. My current speed has increased by at least 20%.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°And also¡­ ah!¡± Grape opened his mouth wide, and a stream of extremely cold saliva flowed out, sending chills through Yi Chen. ¡°My saliva now possesses the properties of Cold Lake Cemetery, capable at any time of cleaning eyeballs and improving my water abilities~ My speed underwater has increased about 30% or so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Not just Yi Chen, but Jin and Reagan had the same reaction. ¡°What do you mean ¡®that¡¯s it¡¯? This is a big improvement, okay? My agility has increased; if you get killed, I¡¯ll be able to escape immediately, and maybe even retrieve your body afterwards. Plus, there¡¯s free eyeball cleaning fluid, which is perfect if long periods of combat in a water-less area causes eye dryness and decreased vision¡ªit¡¯s a game changer.¡± ¡°I did see the entire lake surface being covered by your hair and black mist spilling out, forming a devil-like phantom in the air¡­ and that¡¯s all the enhancement you got?¡± ¡°Cleaning my body, huh~ Of course, I had to wash every single hair. The useless corpse gas released along with the dirt during the cleaning process is the black mist you saw, which is pretty much like human farting, except I¡¯d been holding these farts in for decades, if not a hundred years.¡± After Grape put it that way, even imagining the odor was almost overwhelming, Yi Chen decided not to probe further. ¡°However, the traits of [Cold Lake Cemetery] absorbed by me might become more useful as I grow, although for now, it seems they only help in washing eyeballs. If you really want me to have strengths at a tangible level, then hurry up and find some eyeballs for this Grape. Enough talk; the upcoming mission is a great opportunity, let¡¯s head out now.¡± Not long after getting on the carriage, the overexcited Grape finally settled down, and, with no one paying attention to it anymore, it no longer wanted to stay outside. As it squeezed back into Yi Chen¡¯s body through the collar, its entire body of hair trembled violently! An absolute sense of mortal threat, struggling with all its strength to get out of the shoulder; just as it opened its mouth to say something, slap! Yi Chen covered it with one hand. The next second, a tremendous force pulled it inside the body, after which there was no more sound. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 157 Natural Grey Zone Chapter 158: Chapter 157 Natural Grey Zone As Little Grape¡¯s physical body immersed itself in Yi Chen¡¯s body, its consciousness was dragged by an irresistible force to a special ward where it was imprisoned. On the hospital bed by the window, a silver-haired youth was sitting, bathed in the moonlight that seeped into the ward. As he turned his head, Little Grape¡¯s hair bristled instantly. ¡°Are you William¡¯s little friend? Your composition is quite complex¡­ Should I perform some dissection to understand you better, or would you like to explain your origin yourself?¡± ¡°Help!¡± Little Grape was on the verge of crying, utterly confused as to why the inside of Yi Chen¡¯s body had transformed into a Moon Scar ward. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I was just joking. This time, I¡¯m merely asking William for a favor~ I¡¯ll rest inside his body for a while until I reach the Old World and then leave. Please guide me during our time together inside, Mr. Grep.¡± ¡­ In the speeding coach Yi Chen was not worried about Little Grape¡¯s condition, for he had already agreed with Moon Scar that if there were any problems with Little Grape, their trade would be terminated immediately. For now, all he needed to consider was the upcoming mountain journey. Unlike the other two teams, the coach carrying them would take them directly to the foot of Greyrell Mountain, sending the three to the pilgrimage path chosen by pilgrims of the past¡ªa pathway filled with suffering, steep and rugged. When the scheduled travel time had reached its halfway point, the coachman¡¯s cadaverous, hoarse voice came from the front. ¡°We are about to enter the Natural Grey Zone of Greyrell Mountain. You can use the ¡®membrane window¡¯ to observe the environment of the area in advance.¡± The so-called membrane window is a kind of ¡°visible isolation window,¡± made by processing the Gentleman¡¯s Skin into a thin film, maintaining its characteristics while allowing for more than 80% transparency. Due to the high cost of craftsmanship, ordinary coaches aren¡¯t usually equipped with it. However, each berth in the coach they were riding in had a membrane window. Jin was still fast asleep, sitting on the lower bunk, Yi Chen and Reagan simultaneously slid open the wooden compartment, revealing a nearly transparent film in front of them, Aside from a few capillary-like fines lines left in the membrane responsible for nutrient transport, there was almost no obstruction to their view. Through the membrane, they could clearly see that the coach was speeding along a relatively spacious highway, Both the highway and the surrounding forests were pervaded by gray mist, 1. The road, paved with gravel and clay, strangely bubbled like a liquid, with some segments swelling into enormous bulges, inflamed, scaling with breathing rhythms, and even oozing pus. At times, one could even see bizarre life forms crawling on the road, which upon closer inspection, were abnormal constructs made of both gravel and animal flesh, mindlessly crawling. The coachman steered the peculiar horses through the distorted road in an S-shape, trying his best to avoid pathological structures. 2. The forests on either side of the road seemed to come alive with consciousness, with organs resembling eyes located between the tree barks, watching the passing coach, Some trees with higher activation degrees would pluck their own or other trees¡¯ fruits, placing them into their decayed mouths to chew and swallow. Even, one could see two trees entwined in a struggle, the weaker being subdued and having its bark ripped off bite by bite by the victor, which then drank the sap from within. The victorious tree would visibly thicken its trunk and harden its branches, sprouting extra and enormous fruits during its feast. After tasting this advantage, it would continue to attack other trees, further accelerating its growth, ultimately potentially evolving into pure plant-based Patients, giving the whole area a feel of a vegetal battle royale. Every now and then, oddly shaped creatures would dart out of the woods, like the current sudden white streak that leaped out, covering an exaggerated distance of over ten meters, stopping right in front of the coach. Upon closer inspection, it was a rabbit-man, a cute fuzzy rabbit head mounted on a grotesquely muscular body, its deep red pupils staring fixedly at the intruding coach, spreading its mutated muscular arms to forcibly intercept, Bang! A muffled gunshot echoed through the highway. The rabbit¡¯s head, along with its upper half, instantly turned into mince, becoming nourishment for the road. The coachman habitually blew away the smoke from the barrel and with a flick of his hand, inserted the thick-barreled shotgun into the holster beside him. As long as it wasn¡¯t a Severe Patient blocking the road, the coachman could resolve the issue quickly without delaying the journey. In the carriage, Yi Chen intently observed the Grey Zone environment outside the window. To him, the most significant trait of this thin Grey Zone was that it was ¡°alive¡± and mixed with a certain amount of chaos. ¡°Compared to the non-natural Grey Zone that erupted in Shebolt Village, the villagers, under the influence of Combination Illness, lived a life worse than death, reduced to tools of production for the Church. This natural Grey Zone is much better. Setting aside the Pathological label, at least the creatures here still maintain their selfhood, aren¡¯t tortured, and follow their will to live in a completely new way. Unfortunately, for non-natural Grey Zones, as long as you can kill the source of grayification, you can contain and eliminate it. Natural Grey Zone, however, stems directly from the influences of the Old World. With the formation of the ¡°pathway,¡± the degree of grayification deepens continuously, and the existing methods are incapable of eradicating the spread of the Natural Grey Zone; at best, they can only slow it down. That¡¯s why, sooner or later, even Zion, known as ¡®the last sanctuary¡¯ and built atop a high mountain, will eventually be enveloped by the Grey Zone.¡± Thanks to the sufficient elasticity of the membrane window, Yi Chen pressed his entire face against it, like sticking on a meat-textured facial mask, and slowly stuck his head out of the carriage. Looking ahead along the road, just as the name Greyrell Mountain suggests, a mountain resembling a Holy Grail in shape, with a thinner middle part, loomed nearby, its near thousand-meter height shrouded in a dense, life-like flowing mist layer. The mist enveloped the entire mountain like mucus, allowing only a vague outline to be visible, and it even seemed as if the mountain itself was animated by it. ¡°A transition from thin to medium Grey Zone? This is my first encounter¡­ According to the books, with each ascension in level, the internal environment of a Grey Zone undergoes a qualitative change. If it nears a medium Grey Zone, even the most unchangeable inorganic matter becomes ill. The basic structure of the environment might alter under the influence of the Grey Zone, manifesting some ¡®surreal structures¡¯ not seen under normal conditions. Not to mention humans, even some Patients could get lost in it. We need to find some kind of Rule, or even use Old World methods to find the correct path. My eyes, combined with my Professional Characteristics, should pose no problem, and there¡¯s also Reagan¡¯s genius in perception to help.¡± Compared to worrying, Yi Chen was more excited about the exploration. As the carriage left the road and swiftly traversed through the distorted woods for a while, it finally stopped at the foot of a mountain. ¡°Jin, it¡¯s time for us to set out!¡± Yi Chen knocked on the bunk above, and when Jin opened her eyes, her pupils surprisingly displayed a rare Red Lotus pattern, signifying that she was in an excellent condition. She could stay awake without feeling sleepy for at least two days. And this time she became unusually serious, not wearing a suit, but donning a coat specially designed by Mr. Ivan that suited Jin¡¯s combat style, with 80% of the Gentleman¡¯s Skin concentrated in this garment, Jin, considering the restrictiveness the skins brought, chose not to wear it normally or during missions. But facing the gradual transition from thin to medium Grey Zone, considering the impact on her physical body, she decided to utilize the isolating effect of the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin.¡± Her hooded dark red leather coat, with metal ring buttons paired with diagonal cinching straps, not only sculpted her figure but also enhanced the stability of the garment during combat. The leather sheath structure fitted on the back of the coat could just accommodate Jin¡¯s weaponry, with the rejuvenated long sword slung on her back. The moment she put on the coat and donned the hood, her whole demeanor changed, the coat¡¯s enclosed structure suppressed Jin¡¯s mental madness, and the deep red color emitted themes of Red Lotus and slaughter, making her appear more threatening, much like the most dangerous Executioner among organizations. When Yi Chen saw Jin¡¯s new outfit, before he could even comment, Lorrian¡¯s voice pre-emptively resounded within him. ¡°Your girlfriend looks pretty good, huh~¡± Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 158: The Pilgrimage Path Chapter 159: Chapter 158: The Pilgrimage Path ¡°Whether or not you succeed in obtaining the Relic, I won¡¯t be waiting for you at the base of the mountain all the time.¡± ¡°After you have completed this event and come down the mountain, you need to walk back to the previous highway. I will wander there from time to time, for up to ten days. Good luck to you all.¡± The Coachman left these words mechanically and drove the carriage away. The three of them didn¡¯t rush to start their climb; they first made a series of observations on the situation at the base of the mountain. After standing in the forest area covered by the Grey Zone for five minutes, they neither encountered any attacks from animated trees nor met the rabbit creature that had blocked their path before. The area that should have been dangerous was unusually quiet. ¡°The Pathological creatures in the forest at the foot of the mountain, whether or not they are conscious, are instinctively afraid to come near here. According to the data recorded by the survey team, any animals that come close to the Pilgrim are either blinded or have their eyes gouged out. Perhaps that¡¯s why nearby creatures dare not approach this Pilgrim¡¯s path. We¡¯ll temporarily set our climbing order like this, with me leading the way with Little Grape to scout ahead, and Mr. Reagan, you take the rear. If your Sensing detects that I have taken a wrong path or if you notice that the path we have just passed has changed under the influence of the Grey Zone, just let me know immediately. Jin, you stay in the middle, so whether I encounter danger ahead or Reagan is attacked from behind, you can support either of us right away.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The small pep on Jin¡¯s shoulder also began to take things seriously; its feathers tightly spread out at fixed angles, revealing its many eyes inherited from its grandmother, which could also serve for precise observation and breaking Illusions. Yi Chen at the forefront signaled for a moment, ¡°Little Grape seems to have fallen asleep; I¡¯ll go wake it.¡± As Thought was transmitted to Lorrian, Little Grape¡¯s Ego was then released from the ¡°Consciousness Ward¡± Lorrian had constructed. Trembling all over, it wriggled out from the collar of Yi Chen¡¯s jacket, one hand clutching Yi Chen¡¯s neck, feeling hollowed out. When officially starting their climb on the rugged mountain path, Yi Chen was somewhat curious, as Little Grape hadn¡¯t relayed any messages and, true to its nature, should have been constantly complaining. ¡°Hey, are you okay? I wanted to tell you about Moon Scar beforehand, but seeing you continuously excited about contacting ¡®Cold Lake Cemetery¡¯, I just let it be. Lorrian hasn¡¯t done anything to you, has he?¡± ¡°No¡­ ¡± ¡°We have already started climbing. We¡¯ll soon encounter the special Patients related to ¡®Gathering Eye Disease¡¯, and perhaps you¡¯ll get the quality grapes you¡¯ve been dreaming of nights and days.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± After responding briefly, Little Grape crossed its legs and sat directly on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, its state seeming just short of having a cigarette hanging from its lips, appearing depressed. ¡°Then you might want to take it easy for a bit.¡± This state didn¡¯t last long; Little Grape exuded cold lake water from all its pores, splashed its face with cold water, and energized itself. Then it said seriously, ¡°All the grapes we get during the climb should go to me. If they can help me evolve into a higher form, perhaps there will be a chance for survival.¡± Yi Chen smiled faintly, not bothering to explain much further. After a night of communication with Moon Scar, Yi Chen saw no deceit in the other¡¯s face, and could almost confirm the sincerity of their exchanges. Even if it wanted his life, as Moon Scar said, it would wait until Yi Chen had grown mature enough, that is, after breaking through the ¡®Limit of Man.¡¯ Though there were still some minor threats to consider, for now, what needed to be done was to focus on the climb. The rugged, winding mountain path before them had only one route, requiring no choices at any forks. About fifteen minutes into the climb, they finally encountered the ¡®Pilgrims¡¯ detailed in the event records. Their bodies were thin and elongated like withered trees, possibly due to prolonged trekking and lack of nutrition, Wrapped in only a tattered cloth, in their hands, they each clutched a small object, be it a glass marble, a metal ring, or a slip of paper¡ªrelics from their loved ones, seemingly hoping that the pilgrimage might lead their souls to a world devoid of illness. They kneeled on the ground, their bodies leaning forward, their heads completely touching the ground, forming a triangular worshipping posture. There was no need for verification to ascertain that these pilgrims had already died, belonging to those who were eliminated early on, those too weak to even undergo the transformation. Their corpses were neatly lined up along the ascending mountain path, with one every two or three meters, extending into the dense fog of the mountainside, making it uncertain whether there was an end in sight. ¡°Little Grape, help me out.¡± Trying to approach one of the pilgrim corpses, Yi Chen let Little Grape slowly lower itself down while clinging to its tendrils, like a worker suspended by a safety rope, to peek at the buried face of the pilgrim. However, the vision returned was quite eerie, making Yi Chen furrow his brows, The deceased pilgrim¡¯s eyes had been gouged out, which was expected, but he still bore a smile. This smile was not one of pain or distortion, but a heartfelt relief, even describable as ¡®excitement¡¯¡ªas though his pilgrimage had not failed at all and was still ongoing. Yi Chen observed several more deceased pilgrims, all wearing that same expression. While he was observing the fifth corpse, Reagan, at the end of the team, picked up on something unusual and quickly shouted out, ¡°William, watch out for the corpse¡¯s back!¡± Almost at the same moment he shouted, the back of the corpse indeed started to move. Hidden beneath the tattered cloth, it was unclear what exactly was moving, only that there were many, all of different sizes. Yi Chen didn¡¯t retreat but instead retracted Little Grape, who was ¡®suspended in operation¡¯¡­ letting Little Grape alone observe the strange movement on the back while Yi Chen chose to close his eyes. Meanwhile, with a hand gesture downward toward his teammates on the mountain path below, Yi Chen suggested that they wait and see if they need to help based on how the situation unfolded. The back of the corpse continued to maintain its granular movement, without further change or threat, as if it was just waiting for someone passing by to unveil the old cloth covering the moving area. Whew~ With one hand holding the axe, and the other grabbing the corner of the cloth, Yi Chen slowly began to pull. As the rag slid off the back, a densely packed scene of discomfort was observed by Little Grape¡¯s lone eye and transmitted back to Yi Chen¡¯s brain. The corpse¡¯s back was covered with grapes of varying sizes from various mountain creatures, notably lacking the eye structures of humans¡­ these eyeballs might have been related to what the pilgrims ate before their deaths. Right as the rag fell, All the granular eyes turned their gaze toward the ¡®unveiler¡¯, a spiritual pathogen rapidly invading the thoughts of Little Grape. But then¡­ Buzz! The spiritual shock from the Lake Bottom Giant Eye reversed its course. The feeling was quite like ¡®counter-waves¡¯, only this clash of mental realms was invisible to the naked eye. The next second, Crackling~ As if someone was setting off firecrackers in the mountains, all the eyes on the back of the corpse burst simultaneously, not a single one surviving. Having done all this, Little Grape, hands on hips, said disdainfully: ¡°Such low-level Pupil Skills, still trying to be secretive and pose, what trash~ With eyeballs this inferior, I can¡¯t even muster a hint of appetite.¡± Having quickly neutralized the target, Little Grape seemed to regain its confidence, and instantly recovered from its depressed state, standing proudly on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder, one hand on its waist and the other pointing towards the path up the mountain. ¡°I¡¯m going to explode all your inferior grapes today; bring it on!¡± Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 159 Deep Layer Vision Combine Chapter 160: Chapter 159 Deep Layer Vision Combine ¡°` Even though Xiao Putao directly surpassed in the Pupil Skill and instantly killed a pilgrim¡¯s corpse, Yi Chen did not rush to continue climbing but returned to regroup with the squad. ¡°Reagan, what¡¯s your take?¡± His slightly chubby fingers scratched at his cheek, giving his analysis: ¡°A corpse is still a corpse; those eyes are merely the abnormal combination that occurred under the effect of the Grey Zone when the worm eyes were ingested into the body. They are pieced together using this corpse to affect passing organisms. At its essence, it belongs to an abnormal variant primarily of animals, insects, and the like, having lost the attribute of being human. As long as we¡¯re prepared in advance, they are not highly threatening. It also explains why animal eyes and insect eyes don¡¯t have much of an effect on the pilgrims themselves¡­ What they need may only be the ¡°human eye.¡± The pilgrims who had their eyes gouged out died with a smile perhaps because they achieved some purpose, allowing someone to carry on with their eyeballs and complete this pilgrimage.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s what I thought too¡­ Let¡¯s get going.¡± Just as Yi Chen was ready to continue on the mountain path, Reagan reached out to stop him. ¡°Let me take the lead, these incomplete eye clusters are just right for a warm-up¡­ It¡¯s been almost a year since I last ventured out of the city to fight against the Patients.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yi Chen and Jin walked behind, with Jin feeling no urge to insist. She simply wasn¡¯t interested in these lowly ¡°corpse eye clusters.¡± Pop pop pop~ Explosive sounds were intermittently transmitted from the treacherous mountain path. Any corpse Reagan passed, before even a shred of cloth could be lifted, the internal eye clusters would all explode. The path ahead was clear, and this perilous route of pilgrimage had no detours, making the journey smooth. Following the trail of pilgrim corpses, they arrived mid-mountain, at the ¡®thinnest¡¯ part of the stem of Holy Grail Mountain, where the extension of corpses also ended. All along the way, Yi Chen had been counting in his mind¡ªexactly 1008 bodies. One could imagine how vast the original group of pilgrims that came to Holy Grail Mountain was. Mid-mountain, there was a flat platform in the mountainside suitable for rest, and it was here that a fork in the road first appeared. One path was an extension of the previous rugged mountain path, continuing to cling to the perilous cliff sides. In some places, the path broke off, requiring climbing to connect. Another path extended towards the other side of Holy Grail Mountain, corresponding to a relatively gentle forest path. After discussing it within the team, everyone decided to continue on the perilous mountain route. After a brief rest at the mountain platform, Yi Chen, as per habit, used one hand to support himself, attempting to stand up, not knowing his palm would land right on a flat pebble. What should have been a hard, cold pebble, instead had a somewhat soft and even warm feel, Crack crack~ The pebble, as if realizing it had been discovered, suddenly grew four insect legs from beneath, trying to flee from the spot. Yi Chen certainly wasn¡¯t going to let it go, turned on his heel and stomped down¡­ crunch! The pebble was completely crushed. Broken rocks and various bits of flesh, and even an eyeball amongst them. Though flattened, it was still distinguishable as being similar to a human eyeball, its surface still connected to numerous brain nerves, seemingly bearing the function of the Main Brain. ¡°The corpses of the previous pilgrims only contained animal or insect eyeballs, but this sick stone appearing here contains an eyeball almost resembling a human¡¯s and even shouldering brain functions. Doesn¡¯t that seem a bit weird~ Could it be that from mid-mountain onwards, matter is officially under the combined influence of Gathering Eye Disease and Grey Zone? Everyone be careful, the path ahead might have more eye-related abnormal entities, and the threat level will definitely be greater.¡± Yi Chen did not receive any response when he finished speaking. He abruptly looked up, only to find Jin and Reagan, who were supposed to be by his side, nowhere to be seen. Only Yi Chen¡¯s own footprints were on the grassy mountain slope¡­ the two had never been here at all. A chill surged up, and his expression turned grave. Yi Chen quickly stepped onto the treacherous mountain path and peered down. The path was still lined with the corpses of pilgrims, and fifty meters below, thick fog obscured everything, leaving no trace of his teammates. ¡°Xiao Putao!¡± Upon Yi Chen¡¯s call, Xiao Putao emerged from the collar as normal. ¡°What¡¯s the situation, why is it only you?¡± Xiao Putao was also puzzled by the scene before her. ¡°We must have been under the effect of some Hallucination Pupil Technique for quite a while now¡­ I only realized it when I just now crushed a stone creature, but the scene before us is not entirely real.¡± ¡°` Yi Chen quickly disputed Grape¡¯s conclusion, ¡°Impossible! Even if you¡¯re affected, I won¡¯t be¡­ I am a graveyard creature with the Eye as my main attribute, to make me fall into a trap, unless¡­¡± At this point, even Grape paused for a moment. ¡°Unless what?¡± ¡°Unless on the level of eyes, it transcends me, the Patient also with the Eye as its core attribute, infinitely close to Open Source, and might have even reached the level of Open Source. Now we¡¯re done for. The truly terrifying thing about spiritual Patients is right here¡­ As long as they surpass us in level, we won¡¯t even know how we died. If we don¡¯t know how we got trapped, the same might happen afterward. Perhaps while walking along the mountain path, you would suddenly fall from a several-hundred-meter-high mountain and only realize you¡¯re going to die the moment your body is smashed to pieces. Or maybe you think you found your teammates and you¡¯re gathering with them, but then the next thing you know, they¡¯re eating off your head and devouring your body.¡± Yi Chen took a deep breath and wasn¡¯t influenced by Grape¡¯s negative talk. ¡°Hey! Grape~ If you want to survive, bring out your best skills. Starting now, turn your visual enhancement to the max, and don¡¯t let up for a moment.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say, maintaining high concentration for a long time will make my eyes bloodshot and damage them.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get the essence of Cold Lake Cemetery? Wash your eyes with Cold Lake water from time to time. You should be able to hold up for a while, right? Let me know if you really can¡¯t.¡± Grape gritted his teeth, ¡°Alright~¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Yi Chen suddenly stopped Grape in his tracks and posed a question, ¡°Where did we first meet? Which gravesite number was it?¡± Grape didn¡¯t answer verbally but instead stretched out all six fingers, indicating the largest number. ¡°Do you suspect I¡¯m fake?¡± ¡°Just eliminating any possible risks. Come on¡­ Full Vision, activate!¡± Although Grape was somewhat annoyed, considering the current dangerous situation, he performed a standard diving motion and submerged into Yi Chen¡¯s body. The soft black sphere rapidly moved through the blood vessels to the inside of the skull, where the black hair adhered to the brain and slowly fused with it. ¡°First off, it¡¯s my first time ¡®combining¡¯ with you like this. Your vision might change drastically, and the burden on your brain¡¯s nerves will also increase several times. If you can¡¯t handle it, disengage on your own. Be careful not to push too hard, or you might risk brain explosion. Once your brain shatters, even if your body is taken back to the cemetery, it¡¯s pretty much useless.¡± ¡°Bring it on.¡± As Grape¡¯s body completely merged with the brain, Whirr! A moist and lustrous eyeball slowly opened in the center of the brain. At that moment, Yi Chen was also stunned. Strands of black thread emerged on the surface of his two facial eyeballs, sewing a ring of hair-like pupils on the surface of the eyeballs, like threading a needle. Hiss~ Even a whiff of corpse energy leaked from the eyeballs, and black blood streaks filled the whites of the eyes. In an instant, a more colorful, intricate, and complex world unfolded before him, every hidden Stone Eye Worm in the shadows was pinpointedly captured, and he also noticed an abnormally reflective surface on a mountainside. Yi Chen stepped towards the spot on the mountainside wall that was no more than half a meter wide and reached out to touch it. His hand felt nothing, and after a display of dazzling colors, the wall astonishingly vanished, revealing a hidden passageway into the heart of the mountain. Yi Chen did not enter it immediately but returned to the pilgrimage path he had been on before, to revisit the perilous mountain route with his current visual condition¡­ The sight captured by his Field of View left him utterly shocked. The previously solitary pilgrim¡¯s mountain path had now turned into a labyrinthine maze with a myriad of forks every few steps. And there weren¡¯t as many pilgrims¡¯ corpses as there seemed initially. The corpses were mostly concentrated around the forks, their outstretched hands pointing in different directions, creating a misleading effect. Among the mountains were also strewn various small stone Sick Objects that functioned like natural Watchers, or rather carriers of Illusions, influencing and altering the visual scenery for passersby as they cooperated with each other. Which is to say, since the earliest encounter with the corpse of the Pilgrim, we had begun to be affected, and had already been completely scattered along the complicated paths. Even with the Combination of Vision with Grape, the moment I¡¯m the slightest bit distracted, the mountain path would revert to the ¡®false image¡¯ with only one path.¡± ¡°With so many forks, it¡¯s basically impossible to find Jin and Reagan¡¯s location¡­ not to mention Grape can¡¯t hold up that long. Reagan and Jin are no weaker than I am, so I¡¯ll have to trust them.¡± Yi Chen took a deep breath and walked towards the recently discovered hidden wall. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 160: Monastery in the Mountains Chapter 161: Chapter 160: Monastery in the Mountains A clean and tidy private ward. The silver-haired youth leaned against the soft hospital bed, with pale pink moonflowers placed in a vase by the bed. This consciousness ward, created by Moon Scar, belonged to his temporary resting area within Yi Chen¡¯s body. The night scene outside the window corresponded to real-time events occurring outside. At that moment, the door opened. A female doctor in an ultra-short wrap skirt, revealing her signature long legs, came over to change Moon Scar¡¯s bandages, covering his right eye with a fresh gauze smeared with white pollen, The doctor¡¯s head attached to the IV pole also looked out the window, a deep red lip peeping through the black hair, curiously asking: ¡°It seems the situation outside is quite dangerous, and they¡¯ve unknowingly separated the three of them¡­ Those three humans aren¡¯t lacking in the slightest on a mental level, the opponent¡¯s tactics are very clever indeed.¡± Moon Scar nodded, seemingly very interested in what was happening outside, and gave a simple evaluation. ¡°Gradual illusion inducement, fully utilizing the complexity of ascending the mountain and the effects of the Grey Zone. If the problem was not spotted at the initial climb, one would gradually get lost amid a sea of corpses, mountain paths, stones, and other such factors leading the way. The enemy is quite thoughtful, and in terms of eye prowess, just as William had guessed, it might be an open-source existence, or at the least, someone who has peeked at and absorbed ancient knowledge, infinitely close to being an open-source entity. To encounter such a challenging event right at the start? I intended to rest a bit before heading to the Old World, but it seems there¡¯s no chance now, and I may well be affected.¡± Saying this, Moon Scar pulled the female doctor into his arms, who showed no resistance and even exhibited an excited blush on her face, hidden beneath her black hair. ¡°Join me in watching William¡¯s performance, and if there really is an open-source entity, I¡¯ll go out and lend a hand¡­ I don¡¯t mind warming up a bit before heading to the Old World.¡± ¡­ Holy Grail Mountain Ludwig Reagan suggested that he take the lead in the team, using the clearing of eyes from the backs of corpses to regain his past combat sensations, Halfway up, yet to reach the middle of the mountain, Reagan suddenly felt a sense of disharmony. ¡°Why is there an inexplicable sense of pulling, as if being led by the nose. Moreover, every four corpses, a Pathological Eye Cluster is certain to appear, too patterned¡­ William, do your eyes see anything?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed anything abnormal, let¡¯s keep climbing.¡± Reagan, upon receiving the response, didn¡¯t lower his guard but became even more vigilant. In his knowledge of William, the other¡¯s level of alertness was no less than his own. When he had asked such a question, even if William genuinely hadn¡¯t seen anything, he would have surely probed further into the details instead of dismissing it so curtly. Without any outward sign, Reagan released a burst of Spiritual Shock towards the two teammates behind him. Unexpectedly, the pressure did not touch anything¡­ Turning around, he saw not a single figure behind him. ¡°Hmm?!¡± Reagan¡¯s eyes instantly shifted, showing a Killing Intent that was never seen on an ordinary day, and the fat piled on his face seemed as if it was evaporating away. Zap! A strong electric current danced along his spine, coursing through his body, sparks flying even from his eyes, causing his hair to stand on end. A circle of a special force field, encompassing both electromagnetic and Thought, spread out from his feet, Hum! The electricity expelled tore through the false visual scenery, revealing the real, complex, and full of detours, surreal mountain path. Crack! All the pebbles within a ten-meter radius were struck by the high-voltage electricity and burned until they smoked, turned belly-up, and a shriveled, blackened eyeball rolled out from within. ¡°From the moment we stepped onto this mountain, our thoughts began to be passively guided, unwittingly falling deeper within¡­ We probably separated at the first fork in the road already. With the complexity of this mountain¡¯s structure, it¡¯s nearly impossible to find the other two, and it will also waste a lot of energy. Keep ascending¡­ With their standards, they¡¯re bound to realize the issue, and we just need to meet at the summit in the end. If they die on the way due to inadequate strength, that¡¯s their own issue.¡± Without any hesitation, Reagan, with his hands in his pockets, followed the real mountain path upwards, During this period, any object daring to get close would be electrocuted ¡ª even if one could withstand the shock and force their way closer, they would still encounter even more terrifying close-quarters combat. ¡­ Jin, who was neither adept at Pupil Skills nor at Thought Perception within the squad, thought she would be trapped in the Vision Illusion indefinitely. However, she was the earliest among the three to detect something was amiss. On the fifth minute of the ascent along the mountain path, out of sheer boredom, Jin used Instant Step before Reagan could make a move, reaching the restless Pathological corpse, palm attached, and Red Lotus blossomed. Crack! The corpse, along with the cluster of eyes on it, was blasted to bits ¡ª bones flew chaotically in every direction, nearly hitting Yi Chen in the head. Having cleared the threat of the corpse, her teammates said nothing and continued upward, but Jin deliberately slowed down, waiting for Yi Chen to pass by her, then slap! A hand casually landed on his shoulder. ¡°William, you¡¯re a bit off today ¡ª if it were the usual you, even if you didn¡¯t physically stop me, you would at least comment on my recklessness,¡± she said. ¡°Hmm, really?¡± ¡°Indeed, something¡¯s not right¡­¡± Red threads twisted between Jin¡¯s arms, preparing to infuse Red Lotus Energy into Yi Chen¡¯s body through the hand on his shoulder, but suddenly Jin thought of something, quickly retracting the energy back into her body. A gentle voice came from beneath the mask: ¡°Just kidding ¡ª let¡¯s keep going.¡± The madness within Jin prevented her from exposing the facade of the illusion before her; instead, she purposefully maintained the status quo, curious to see where the opponent wanted to lead her ¡ª preferably straight to the lair of Gathering Eye Disease. Meanwhile, a single red thread spread within Jin¡¯s body, giving rise to a small Red Lotus at the top of her brain, Should her physical body encounter any threat exceeding her limits, even if her other senses failed to convey information, this Red Lotus would activate in an instant, exploding her skull, the intense stimulation and brain disruption pulling her back to reality. At the same time, the voice of Little Peyton arose in her mind, carrying out a Thought Communication between human and bird. ¡°Cluck cluck, this William is a bit strange ¡ª doesn¡¯t seem like the charming guy I know! Maybe I should open all my eyes and observe closely, might catch a glimpse of what¡¯s real.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it this way ¡ª pretend everything is normal.¡± ¡°Cluck cluck, all right!¡± ¡­ [Yi Chen¡¯s perspective] He decided to trust his teammates, entering the mountain¡¯s interior alone along a hidden wall. The concentration of the Grey Zone inside was twice that of the outside, perhaps even approaching the discomfort of a medium Grey Zone. The mountain¡¯s interior was hollow and cylindrical, all manner of bizarrely shaped rocks hung tumorous on the walls, Yi Chen, using the Visual Enhancement provided by Little Grape, preemptively identified the regular rocks, rapidly scaling the wall with the aid of plant roots. The vertical cylindrical passage was astoundingly high, Yi Chen felt his climbing speed wasn¡¯t slow, yet he spent well over an hour inside. ¡°Could it lead directly to the mountain peak?¡± Upon reaching the top of the circular exit, there was no blue sky or white clouds to greet him¡­ but rather a vast cave with a distinctly different ambience and inside, an ancient Monastery built within it. As Yi Chen cautiously approached the Monastery¡¯s main gate, the Stone Door actually opened outward, and a mysterious figure clad in yellow emerged, wearing attire that was a cross between a Gentleman¡¯s Coat and a monk¡¯s robe, both refined like a gentleman¡¯s and loose like a monk¡¯s. ¡°Has an Organization found this place so quickly? Follow me¡­¡± ¡°Watcher?¡± Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 161: Watcher and the Passage Chapter 162: Chapter 161: Watcher and the Passage The ancient monastery before me combines various old elements, giving off the feeling of a dilapidated spirit temple. Yi Chen still maintained his Vision fully open, inspecting this individual in yellow clothes, who was suspected to be a Watcher. He recalled the books he had read in Zion, which contained very little information about such organizations, merely revealing the pseudonym of this special gentleman and their related duties. It was also from Zede¡¯s teacher that he gleaned some more detailed information. According to Zede, if his eyes hadn¡¯t failed him, he might have become one of the Watchers as well. [Tunnel Watcher] A class of high-rank gentlemen in Zion, who received special training and excelled at handling events alone, They often had hermit-like dispositions, preferring not to stay in the city among others but rather to engage in activities outside the city, even living in the sparse Grey Zone for extended periods. This habit might be related to the scenes of the Old World they witnessed when making an Extreme Breakthrough ¡°Limit of Man¡±. Due to their unique talents, their Consciousness plunged completely into the Old World during the breakthrough, causing their Physical form and soul to undergo a Transformation, and their Thought process to tend towards that of a Patient. But in essence, they hadn¡¯t strayed from humanity or the Organization and maintained the comportment of a gentleman, rotating between various Organization strongholds and always keeping in touch with Zion. Whenever a new passage was discovered, the nearest person would be granted a ¡°Monitoring Task¡± to rush to the entrance of the passage. Rumors suggested that Watchers could sustain themselves on the Old World essence leaking from passage entrances, slaying any Patients who tried to approach the passage and ensuring its Stability, One person could maintain the stability of a newly formed passage for nearly a hundred days. The most important point was, Thanks to the sacrifices of Tunnel Watchers, new gentlemen had the chance to approach the passages and venture into the Surface layer of the Old World to seek Relics without considering other factors, significantly improving the ¡°Success rate¡± and ¡°Depth¡± of their Extreme Breakthrough before it. Before him, Under the combined observation of Yi Chen and Little Grape, he detected nothing unusual from the yellow-clad Watcher, only feeling an invisible aura of a strong individual. Following the gentleman in monk¡¯s clothes as he stepped through the gates of the Monastery, A Holy Mother Statue holding the Holy Grail stood at the center, roughly three times the size of a normal human, with its head completely covered by a flesh-colored skin with an unknown Sealing emblem carved on its surface. In the main hall area, the vault supported by stone columns was carved with reliefs of the sun, moon, and stars, Though the Monastery was built within a mountain, these reliefs seemed to keep the people here in constant communication with the universe. The Watcher¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Even I am not completely clear about the origins of this Monastery¡­ but it has at least two hundred years of history. The Monastery shortens the distance between our World and the Old World and as the walls and floors day by day exude Grey Zone fluid, [Passages] also begin to form.¡± With a wave of the Watcher¡¯s hand, The skin covering the statue¡¯s head slid off, revealing a shocking and eerie sight to Yi Chen. The so-called [Passage], Was located on the Holy Mother¡¯s face, Occupying over 90% of the face area, the layered flesh wall structure seemed to pulse rhythmically with the statue¡¯s breathing. The thick gray matter, fluid-like, spilled from the facial passage, and in just a few seconds exposed to the air, it filled the Monastery with gray as if the walls and floors were coming to life. Whoosh! With one gesture from the yellow-clad gentleman, a yellow skin was shot out to reseal the face, and everything returned to normal. ¡°It seems your teammates haven¡¯t caught up?¡± ¡°Yes, we were separated during the climb due to the effects of Gathering Eye Disease¡­ but with their abilities, they should be able to find this place.¡± ¡°No wonder you found this place so quickly; you chose the nearest climbing route. The fact that you saw through the Illusion and found this place means you have the Qualification to head to the ¡®Old World¡¯. Let¡¯s give your teammates one more day¡¯s time. If they do not arrive, then you will have to enter the passage alone. Come with me.¡± Under the guidance of the Watcher, Circling around the main hall of the Monastery, passing through the long corridor, Yi Chen arrived at the residential area on the backside of the Monastery, where several chambers designed for the resting of former teachers were situated. Apart from dust, there was nothing else. Stone-built hard beds, simple desks, and a stone window the size of a head. ¡°The Monastery has been cleaned up by me, you can rest assured here, shake off the fatigue and discomfort from your body, and get ready for the journey to the Old World that is about to begin.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The Watcher did not stay long, a yellow shadow fluttered by and returned to the main hall, continuing his monitoring task. It was only after Yi Chen watched the yellow figure completely disappear that he returned to the room temporarily arranged for him. The wooden door lock of the chamber had long been broken, Yi Chen pressed his palm against the door, creaking and crunching~ A plethora of roots fortified the decrepit wooden door, creating an entirely enclosed plant-based lock, isolating the inside from the outside. The window was sealed in the same manner with plants, after cleaning the dust from the bed, placing the suitcase beside the bed head, Yi Chen also sat down on the stone bed, his tensed nerves finally got to relax, sweat kept overflowing from his forehead, the black hair-like pupils in his eyes gradually dispersed. The little grape separated from the brain and reappeared on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, engaging in such deep visual fusion will exponentially increase the burden on your brain¡­¡± However, Yi Chen didn¡¯t care about the brain exhaustion at all, rather he seemed very excited. ¡°No~ Just need to get used to it a few more times! This ability to accept more details, more light, this visual sensation is truly comfortable¡­ Let me rest for a bit, and then we continue to maintain the previous fused state.¡± Wisps of white smoke spilled from between the head, the Emblem at the back of the head flipped rapidly, speeding up the brain¡¯s recovery from fatigue. The little grape asked, somewhat puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it already safe here? There¡¯s a Watcher guarding this place, and the Patients in the mountains dare not come close, why continue the visual fusion? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us both to get a good night¡¯s sleep and prepare for the journey into the Old World that¡¯s about to start?¡± But Yi Chen had no intention of resting, he propped his hands behind him and leaned back his head to look at the ceiling of the room, ¡°Little Grape, do you really think it would be that easy to reach the location of the ¡®Tunnel¡¯?¡± ¡°How is that easy? Our combined vision discovered a hidden wall¡­ Without that discovery, we¡¯d still be trapped on mountain paths, climbing like headless flies.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility that my accidental discovery of the Stone Sick Object¡¯s ¡®peering¡¯ and the hidden wall were all intentionally guided by the other party? A true illusion is not entirely false, It is these kinds of illusions, both real and fake, that more easily ensnare an individual, making them fully believe in them. Of course, this is still my speculation, and it is indeed possible that the real Tunnel has been found by us, and that this gentleman in yellow is indeed the Watcher. After all, our vision didn¡¯t detect anything amiss. Before we are 100% certain of safety, we must remain vigilant, Next, we¡¯ll pretend that everything is normal, feigning rest inside the Monastery¡­ If there really is a problem here, it¡¯s highly likely they will take the initiative to find us tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± During the remaining daytime, Yi Chen wandered leisurely inside the Monastery, making sure his eyes scanned every corner, not missing any details. No problems were discovered; everything within this historically significant mountainside Monastery was normal under the management of the Watcher. The Watcher himself stayed in front of the Holy Mother Statue, one could even clearly see a bit of the gray matter that drifted down from the Holy Mother¡¯s head being absorbed as ¡®food¡¯ by the Watcher, consistent with the rumors. After a simple stroll, Yi Chen honestly returned to his room, double-checked the plant-sealed doors and windows, and fell asleep. The gentleman¡¯s clothes too cooperatively switched to ¡®sleep mode,¡¯ transforming into a fully enclosed sleeping bag that wrapped Yi Chen inside. In the deep silence of the night. Beneath the door that should be sealed by plants, a strip of yellow cloth crawled in¡­ Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 162: The Truth Chapter 163: Chapter 162: The Truth Ten minutes before going to sleep, Yi Chen, lying on the stone slab bed, switched his outfit to sleeping bag mode, wrapping his entire body without leaving a gap. Should any threat approach, the gentleman¡¯s clothes would provide physical stimulation. Only someone with a Skin Content of 20% like Yi Chen, could achieve such a sleeping bag form. According to Professor Qian Bosen, during his leisure lectures, as the Skin Content increases, the outfit could even switch to a combat mode, shooting out bandages or thin threads to trap opponents, or pierce through them with hardened sharp gentleman¡¯s skin. When the Skin Content exceeds 50%, if the Synchronization Rate with the outfit is high enough, it could even induce a deeper skin combination, evoking the Old World posture to match the individual. Naturally, as the Skin Content increases, various problems would also emerge¡ªthe problem of a double-edged sword must be considered. ¡­ Wrapped in the sleeping bag, Yi Chen felt as if he had returned to his infancy, enjoying the comfort of being swaddled, and his highly tense spirit also relaxed quickly. He even felt like the umbilical cord inside him wanted to crawl out of his navel, imitating the condition of fetal nourishment. This comfort allowed Yi Chen to calm down and organize his thoughts. Although the Monastery appeared normal on the surface, down to the minutely detailed corners, there were still aspects that felt off. This place seemed to have been inhabited before, but in reality, many areas bore no traces of life, rather, it looked like a hastily built ancient Monastery using aged retrofits to create an old-world disguise¡­ That said, one couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that the Grey Zone had completely erased the traces of life here. Inside the sleeping bag, Yi Chen posed a key question to Little Grape. ¡°If the Monastery we¡¯re currently in is still made up of illusions, and even our combined deep vision can¡¯t detect any clues, Little Grape, do you have a way to break the illusion?¡± ¡°I do¡­ but I can only break a little bit, and it needs an opportunity.¡± ¡°How can it be done?¡± ¡°Destroy important mediums of the illusion, or use methods like Jin¡¯s large-scale explosions to forcefully shake the foundations of the illusion, through such methods weaken the illusion, or even create clear weak areas. At that time, I just need to output Spiritual Shock at maximum power to temporarily disrupt the illusion. As the opponent is completely superior to us on the mental level, if we can¡¯t kill the opponent within a given time, we would still be trapped in the illusion again.¡± ¡°Temporary disruption is also a disruption¡­ let¡¯s see what happens tonight. You sleep the first half of the night, and I¡¯ll take the second half.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡­ During the first half of the night when Yi Chen was sleeping, despite the door being sealed by plants, a yellow cloth strip somehow infiltrated. However, this cloth strip did not seem to have intentions of invading or approaching. It seemed to just be confirming that Yi Chen was still in the room, without any strange actions or attempts to escape. Perhaps it sensed the dense old aura emitted by the ¡®sleeping bag¡¯ enveloping his body. In the end, the yellow cloth strip lingered at the door gap for a while then withdrew. Shortly after the cloth withdrew, the armpit of the sleeping bag outfit slowly opened its mouth and the eyes in the gaps gazed at the door gap. ¡­ [The next day] The sleeping bag switched back to clothes, and Yi Chen, reinvigorated, rose from the stone bed. Ding ding ding~ His fingers tapped his skull, waking Little Grape, who had been sleeping inside the skull, Little Grape, not daring to delay, immediately took an icy bath with Cold Lake saliva to clear the sleepiness and reinvigorate himself. Perhaps sensing the chill between the cranial cavities, Yi Chen also made a request: ¡°Little Grape, help me give my brain a wash.¡± ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s really cold~ But your brain is also much warmer than most people¡¯s, a little washing could indeed be beneficial for the upcoming tasks, I¡¯ll help you wash it slowly,¡± Little Grape did not rashly pour the icy saliva onto Yi Chen¡¯s brain, but extended his slightly hairy tongue, licking the brain¡¯s surface inch by inch, only slowly releasing the saliva through the tip of the tongue, as the licking proceeded, Yi Chen¡¯s entire cranial cavity gradually filled with chill. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Yi Chen was neither uncomfortable nor painful and showed no nervous reactions but rather enjoyed the process¡­ His brain clearly felt more lucid, with some previously blocked mental pathways progressively clearing up. As the Cold Lake could wash off the stains on Little Grape, this licking also incidentally cleared all the ¡®dirty stuff¡¯ accumulated between the brain folds, Unknowingly, Yi Chen sat cross-legged and entered into meditation. The book Emblem at the back of his head also emitted a faint luminescence, turning pages as his brain moved. Little Grape took note of this and did not dare to slacken, carefully licking the brain inside and out. Unfortunately, in the end, no [Quality] change occurred, and the book-reading Emblem reverted to its original state. Alas~ Just as Little Grape sighed, Yi Chen, who woke up from meditation, was beaming with excitement, ¡°Little Grape! I can feel my [Intelligence] is about to reach the true limit¡­ Just need a little more real combat application of brain power to touch on the Limit Barrier. Your saliva is really useful!¡± Little Grape changed from a sighing expression to hands on hips, ¡°It¡¯s all because I carefully covered you with layers of lake water, plus the massage from my tongue that improved the penetration efficiency; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have got these results. If you want to thank me, hurry up and get me some delicious grapes.¡± After a brief exchange, feeling a refreshing clarity in his brain, Yi Chen picked up his briefcase and headed to the main hall. Before the statue covered with yellow cloth, the Watcher seemed to have been waiting for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s a pity your teammates still haven¡¯t found this place, they might be fighting the Patients, or trapped within the Pupil Skill environment, unable to extricate themselves. You now need to make a choice, whether to leave here and search for their tracks, or to cross the passage alone and seek the Relic in the Old World. I remind you that once you choose to leave, you are essentially giving up the chance to go to the Old World. After you find your teammates, you can directly descend the mountain.¡± Yi Chen¡¯s response was very firm, ¡°Everyone has put so much effort into this relic event¡­ I believe they will eventually come here, and I¡¯ve decided to wait for them on the other side of the Old World.¡± ¡°A very wise decision~ Then, please step onto the statue so that your body and the head of the statue are on the same horizontal plane. Once I uncover the cloth, your body will slowly be absorbed into the passage. Stay relaxed throughout the process, don¡¯t feel any rejection or tension!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t climb onto the statue, but shot out roots from his right hand connecting to the dome of the main hall and slowly hoisted his body up, slightly above the head of the statue¡­ The Watcher didn¡¯t say much about this discrepancy. ¡°I hope you find what you are looking for on the other end.¡± After these words, the Watcher lifted the cloth, revealing the disgusting fleshy passage on the statue¡¯s face once again, with surges of suction force emanating from it. Yi Chen also closed his eyes, allowing his body to move closer in response to this suction force. Just as he was about to make contact with the face of the statue¡­ His left hand instantly retrieved a shortened shotgun from his waist, already loaded. Bang! The maximum power buckshot spread out, instantly blowing the yellow-clothed gentleman into flesh bits. Subsequently, Yi Chen straightened his right arm, spreading his fingers, taking advantage of the Moon Seal in the palm that emerged from Lorrian¡¯s right half trait¡­ Buzz! The axe in the briefcase sensed it and flew over on its own. Clap! As he grasped the axe handle, the axe had already switched to full moon state. As the shotgun shattered the ¡®Watcher,¡¯ the axe followed, cleaving through the air. Like a moon waterfall, it split the statue down the middle. It also produced a large number of Moonlight Rats gnawing at the stone skin surface of the statue, underneath which were eyeballs writhing, which burst one after another under the gnawing of the Moonlight Rats. Continuous screams echoed within the Monastery, Now was his chance! ¡°Little Grape!¡± Yi Chen yelled loudly. A black flesh ball was already standing on his head, hands on hips, exposing its eyes to the fullest! ¡°Spiritual Shock¡± The ability from the Lake Bottom Giant Eye struck directly at the dome¡­ Buzz! Like ripples spreading at the center of the dome, the false Monastery began to crumble from the top, with layers of stone falling off, exposing the horrifying True Face. ¡°Are all the Pilgrims¡¯ eyes focused here¡­ No wonder such a realistic scene could be created!¡± It was not a Monastery at all, but an ¡°Enclosed Eye Chamber¡± formed by countless eyeballs. The eyeballs were spaced no more than a centimeter apart, bonded together with blood and flesh, completely enclosed. Because Yi Chen had destroyed the important ceremonial statue and shattered the Illusion Realm¡¯s surface, the surfaces of these eyeballs were bursting with blood vessels and glaring with rage. Through such intense, all-encompassing gaze, they penetrated Yi Chen¡¯s gentleman¡¯s clothes, piercing through his physique, trying to discern his biological Weaknesses and body structure clearly, even affecting his brain directly. However, just as they were attempting to see deeper, Buzz¡­ The vision of this group of eyeballs suddenly shifted, even though they were probing the internal structure of Yi Chen, they abruptly switched to viewing an unknown hospital room. The cluster of eyeballs focused only at the hospital doorway, unable to spread inward or invade this special space, watching a silver-haired young man sitting on the hospital bed with his back to them, also unable to be seen through. As these eyeballs attempted to further scrutinize this mysterious young man, he suddenly turned his head, his New Moon pupils glaring at the doorway: ¡°Seen enough? Scram!¡± Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 163 Yellow Eyes Chapter 164: Chapter 163 Yellow Eyes ¡°Scram!¡± Moon Trace Lorrian roared angrily, and all the prying eyeballs that had infiltrated the sickroom retreated en masse, no longer daring to peer into the depths of Yi Chen¡¯s body, let alone his soul, where they even felt fear. Even the pilgrim¡¯s obsession that resided within the eyeballs was shaken. Lorrian continued to hold the female doctor in his arms, lying back on the sickbed. He ultimately did not interfere in the battle, mainly because he considered that the current location of the incident might be very close to the ¡®real passage.¡¯ If he made a move, he very likely could be perceived by the real Watchers. Furthermore, Lorrian sensed the approach of two other auras, through the window and through his own right half that he had installed on Yi Chen. ¡­ The Monastery built amidst the mountains by the semblance of over a thousand Pilgrim eyeballs through visual mimicry revealed its true form at this moment. In fact, Even if Little Grape found a gap and shattered the Illusion Realm with a Spiritual Shock, These eyeballs, under the dominion of their core will, could easily maintain their original form, continuing to impose visual disruptions and mental pressure. It would only take a few minutes to restore the Illusion Realm as it was. Perhaps it was the sight of the terrifying being inside Yi Chen, Perhaps it was the severe Pain brought about by the Moonlight Slash, Perhaps it was a loss of patience, eager to capture that unique eyeball mentioned by Little Grape. Shasha sha~ Actively giving up the Monastery structure that had taken a lot of time to construct, all the eyeballs began to converge towards one point. And the convergence point was right beside Yi Chen, The ¡®Watcher,¡¯ who had been blasted into debris by special buckshot, Its body, along with the torn yellow robe, was actually forming a quicksand-like vortex structure on the ground, attempting to suck everything nearby into it. Crunch~ Yi Chen turned his palm upward, shooting a tough and powerful root tendril towards the ceiling, quickly swinging away from the place like Tarzan with a rope. At the same time, The Body Breaker he held in his left hand also made a reloading motion. He aimed at the center of the vortex and pulled the trigger¡­ Bang! The buckshot, infused with the essence of the Sick Object, shot towards the center of the vortex, trying to prevent the convergence of the eyeballs. A weird scene unfolded, Feeling the threat of the special bullet, a Big Eye opened within the depths of the vortex, the size of the eyeball being about two-thirds of a human face. The pure white sclera (the white of the eyes) had ten normal-sized pupils floating on its surface, These pupils revolved around the central master pupil¡ªa dazzling main pupil that shone like a star¡ªlike planets on fixed orbits with set periods. Hum! The instant the Big Eye appeared, all the bullets shot towards it experienced a momentary ¡®stagnation,¡¯ then they all changed their trajectories, heading towards different areas. Keep in mind that these were bullets crafted from the Sick Object, capable of tearing teacher Zede in two (with no defenses and intentionally taking the shot). ¡°This must be the chosen Pathological core from among the thousands of resolute Pilgrims, right? All of their eyeballs were given to him¡­ He is to complete the ultimate pilgrimage on behalf of everyone, to take their eyeballs to the other shore. Lou little do they know their so-called ¡®other shore¡¯ is not a world without illness, but rather the origin of illness itself.¡± Yi Chen stopped shooting and landed steadily on the edge of the cave, contemplating his next move in the match¡­ whether to confront or to flee. Meanwhile, as the Big Eye within the vortex caught Little Grape¡¯s view, Splat! A feeling akin to peeling a raw egg coursed through her, A pool of saliva nearly the size of Little Grape herself spilled from her mouth, She had never seen such a beautiful, such a delicious, such a unique grape, ¡°William! I want this one! If you let me taste this grape, I¡¯m certain I can advance to a higher level, possibly even restore some of my true essence. Even if Moon Trace tries causing trouble inside you, I can suppress him!¡± ¡°Hey~ it¡¯s all well and good for you to want it, but how about some actual action? This creature, born in the Natural Grey Zone and fueled by the will of a thousand Pilgrims, is a Spiritual illness, likely tougher to deal with than even the Holy Embryo beneath the Church. It¡¯s not just the eye trait; the ¡®yellow clothing¡¯ on this thing is quite bizarre as well. Honestly, I¡¯m more inclined to consider escape right now, trying to meet up with Jin and Reagan first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run~ This creature probably sensed the Moon Scar within you, which is why it abandoned the Monastery that took so much effort to build, opting to converge into a single entity out of caution. The moment you flee, it will hide again and continue with sneak attacks during the climbing endeavor, possibly targeting other isolated teammates. Now that it has exposed its essence out of fear, it¡¯s an excellent opportunity for a kill! I believe you can do it¡­ as long as you can get close enough to its eyes, I can suck out its eyeball essence just like I did with the Lake Bottom Giant Eye.¡± ¡°You do have a point. If I run away, I¡¯ll lose this great chance to face its singular essence, and it might go after Jin or Reagan first. Little Grape, leave the visual and mental aspects to you~ I¡¯ll get as close as I can to this thing, even if it means crawling if I have to, as long as I don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Do it!¡± With absolute delicacy before its eyes, Little Grape¡¯s cowardice was completely suppressed, and its nature as a crypt creature was fully ignited. Yi Chen needed just that¡ªif Little Grape was willing to go all out, he felt confident about taking on the creature before him. He put on his coat with its hood, a woven face mask, and adjusted 80% of the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± to concentrate on his head to guard against the visual illusions and Spiritual Shock that might come at any moment. He crouched down, gun in his left hand, axe in his right, his gaze locked onto the last Pilgrim that was gathering. The vortex on the ground wasn¡¯t just sucking in eyeballs; it also devoured the flowing grey matter of the Grey Zone surrounding it¡­ this vortex gradually turned yellow in the process. Until it had drained all the grey matter in the cave. Within the swirl, a loose yellow robe without buttons and open at the front slowly emerged, stuffed with dense pathological gray matter that kept spilling out from the hood, sleeves, and seams of the robe. Gradually, the grey matter began to coalesce and solidify into a fixed form, shaping into a humanoid grey-white body whose fingers and feet started to move adaptively. Under the hood, the face had no features, just a vertical slit down the center. As the slit started to open left and right, the Big Eye, like a star system, that was just seen in the vortex appeared again, and as the main eye opened, more densely packed human eye structures emerged on the parts of the body that were exposed, each eyeball independent. With the full body eyeballs rotating and blinking, the being slowly levitated and assumed a meditative pose in midair. One palm facing up, one palm facing down, while assuming such a gesture, a framework began to faintly take shape above its head, though the interior was not yet filled with liquid and was in a critical state of about to Open Source. At the same time, ancient characters woven by maggots also slowly appeared between Yi Chen¡¯s retinas. [Yellow Eyes ¨C Ruidento (Open Source critical, has peeked at most of the Old World Knowledge, lacking the opportunity)] Just as Yi Chen identified the other¡¯s name, a discomfort and irresistible feeling came over him. Even though Yi Chen closed his eyes immediately, even though he covered his vision with both hands as soon as possible, even though he tried to wrap and bind his eyeballs with plant roots growing from his brain to socket, all was in vain¡­ Whoosh! Yi Chen¡¯s eyeballs, as if granted autonomy, actively peeled away, suspended like tadpole-like objects, swiftly drifting towards the Eye Collector ¨C Ruidento. The fact of ¡®eyeball belonging¡¯ was stripped away; this was the advanced embodiment of the Gathering Eye Disease. It was the inevitable price to pay when facing Ruidento unless one had superior control over their eyeballs. With the eyeballs stripped away and the sockets empty, Yi Chen, plunged into darkness, did not feel lost; he still readied himself for combat. In the center of his brain, a unique eye was still open, the eye from Little Grape continued to provide visual capabilities. At this moment, Ruidento, floating in the air, aimed one of his palms towards Yi Chen¡¯s body, and the eye in his palm gave a ¡®glare.¡¯ Little Grape suddenly transmitted a warning into his brain, ¡°William! Dodge!¡± There was no process, no physical transfer, just a faint sense of approaching danger, and Yi Chen instinctively rolled to the left at the first opportunity, yet as he rolled to his feet, he felt an intense sensation from his left arm and, turning his head, saw his entire arm was nearly twisted into a braid, the gun hanging within the coiled-up fingers. He had been affected just by a stare. As an eyeball ability user, Little Grape immediately explained, ¡°This guy has stopped using the Illusion Pupil Technique and is now using all his Pupil Skills for real-world destruction¡­ This is almost at the level of Open Source. He probably just needs to kill us to achieve Open Source instantly.¡± Yi Chen covered his face with one hand, revealing an expression of helpless amusement. ¡°I had just concentrated the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ on my head to boost my spiritual defenses, and he immediately changed his attack mode, no longer using illusions or spiritual influence. I¡¯m completely seen through~ At this rate, there¡¯s only a dead end. It¡¯s come to this.¡± Yi Chen looked up and opened his mouth, and the unique Black Umbilical Cord spilled out. As the umbilical cord appeared, Ruidento stopped glaring and cautiously increased the distance¡­ He could directly sense how intense the ancient aura from the Black Umbilical Cord was. Learning from the Church¡¯s behavior, Yi Chen tightly wrapped the umbilical cord around his neck. The next second. Crick-crack~ The twisted left arm suddenly twisted backwards, instantly recovering its original state. Yi Chen, with his eye sockets now filled with a network of plants, braced himself for his opponent, ¡°Come on!¡± Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 164: Slaying Chapter 165: Chapter 164: Slaying ¡°` [Gathering Eye Disease] Throngs of pilgrims disregarded the influence of the Grey Zone, heading towards the land of their faith¡ªGreyrell Mountain. As recorded in the investigation reports, they gradually got lost in the fog-shrouded mountain paths, unable to find the correct routes to ascend, and became trapped. But all the pilgrims still maintained their composure, without any sign of panic. They took shelter in a cave they found by chance, subsisting on the mountain¡¯s pathological animals to preserve their vitality, quickly devouring every animal on the back mountain. During the consumption of raw animals, their bodies underwent changes unbeknownst to them. Some pilgrims who specifically ate the eyes of animals mutated to gain extra visual abilities, gradually seeing through the fog of the mountain, and discerning the correct path. Moreover, they craved eyeballs themselves, to the point of being able to attract others¡¯ eyes from a distance. However, the pilgrims maintained the essence of their humanity; they didn¡¯t forcibly plunder others¡¯ eyes, but rather proposed the idea of a [Unique Pilgrimage]. They would choose one from among themselves, combining everyone¡¯s eyes, to completely see through the fog of the sacred mountain and accomplish the final ascent and pilgrimage. Due to lack of hope for ascending, 90% of the pilgrims were willing to donate their eyes, allowing the unique pilgrim to take their eyes and witness the pilgrimage sights. But the final candidate could not be directly determined, as 10% of the pilgrims had awakened abilities related to their eyes, and all wished to be that one person. After a united discussion, it was decided to lock them all in a cave chamber, and the person who emerged with others¡¯ eyes would be the ¡®unique pilgrim¡¯. In total, 119 people were locked in the chamber, some even hiding rocks and sharp branches as weapons. It was expected that such a large-scale selection would take over a day, but just ten minutes passed and a lean old man wrapped in yellow rags walked out of the chamber¡­ Curious pilgrims went to check the situation inside the chamber, but the scene they found made them retch non-stop. Comparable to hell, as if tofu had been smashed on the ground and stomped over several times, there was not a single intact body to be found inside. After vomiting, these pilgrims¡¯ thoughts were stimulated, making them remember something. They suddenly recalled that at the beginning of the pilgrimage, there seemed to be no such weird old man wrapped in a yellow robe¡ªhe appeared in the group during the ascent, The ideas of finding the cave, consuming raw meat, and the unique pilgrimage seemed to all involve his indirect or direct participation, By the time they realized this, the yellow cloth had already wrapped around from behind, covering their mouths and noses, gouging out eyes¡­ bodies were twisted and torn beyond their limits, then thrown into the chamber like rotting meat. ¡­ Old World In the Mud Swamp Forest where a sheep¡¯s head hung in the sky, a girl with half her face covered in sheep¡¯s horns suddenly woke from a dream, and with black ink, she immediately depicted the last moment she saw in her dream, a scene depicting the youth she longed for day and night, but the youth, because he was in a dire situation, was forced to wrap an umbilical cord around his neck, Hovering in front of the youth was a blurry yellow shadow, wrapped with numerous eyeballs, looking very dangerous. She instinctively wanted to go to the portal, to pass through it and help the young man, but found herself immobile under a tremendous spiritual pressure the moment she attempted to get up. ¡ìDo your own thing, Lene!¡ì Although worried, defying her mother¡¯s will would mean immediate death, meaningless. ¡°Yes, mom¡­¡± Unexpectedly, her usually reticent mother added, ¡ìIf he can¡¯t overcome such dangers, he doesn¡¯t deserve to keep in touch with you, nor does he deserve to become the disease root.¡ì ¡°I know, mom~ Big brother will be fine.¡± ¡­ In the cave chamber Yi Chen, with an umbilical cord around his neck, wasn¡¯t hanged like the Church members, maintaining a battle stance as he sank. Rather than a noose for hanging, it looked more like an oddly shaped scarf. A closer look would reveal that the umbilical cord had embedded completely into the neck, with streams of pure, ancient life essence flowing directly into the major arteries, spreading throughout the body. ¡°Little Grape, you handle the observation and perception¡­ I¡¯m going in.¡± ¡°Go.¡± Recalling his running on the treadmill in paradise, the force accumulated in his lower legs burst forth, Lowering his body, reducing his size, he became a black shadow that rushed at full speed towards the ¡®Eye in Yellow Clothes¡¯ on the opposite side of the cave chamber, He had just taken two steps when Little Grape¡¯s nearly screaming warning came: ¡°William, dodge!¡± Yi Chen immediately tilted his body, executing a remarkably standard roll. Crack! The left leg that moved last still couldn¡¯t avoid being hit, along with the ground, twisting into a strange stalagmite structure¡­ his leg¡¯s bones and flesh fused with the stones on the ground. Yi Chen¡¯s movement was consequently restricted, pinned to the spot, The hovering Ruidento immediately made a downward pressing motion with his hand. A spiritual shock descended from above, this time not twisting, but crushing. At the critical moment, ¡°` Swung his axe down! Yi Chen decisively chopped off his lower leg below the knee, and rolled forward with one hand propped on the ground. Boom! The abandoned left calf was instantly crushed into a meat film, causing the ground itself to sink. On Yi Chen¡¯s end, as he rolled forward to dodge the crushing, his severed calf rapidly regenerated during the roll, Even though it had not formed a complete muscle and skin structure, but only a white bone and flesh leg frame, Yi Chen turned his pain into nourishment, lunging forward again the instant the roll ended. Perhaps it was the unwavering conviction to kill the enemy, or the full spiritual investment in battle, even the gentleman¡¯s clothes fully recognized their master, accommodating the regeneration and sprint, The trousers clung to the newly grown left leg, directly providing it with a layer of skin that emitted an ancient aura, The coat¡¯s tail also transformed into a cape-like design, better suited for aerodynamics, The most special was the collar structure, which surprisingly formed a temporary combination with the umbilical cord, interweaving the silken threads to turn the cord into a black scarf fit for a British gentleman, [Five meters apart] Yi Chen quickly drew his gun, his thumb flipping the conversion trigger, turning the shotgun into a rifled-slug. He pulled the trigger¡­ Bang! The iron-headed rifled slug, carrying the traits of the Pathological, shot toward the target¡¯s head, Buzz! It was still the Big Eye amidst the hood staring intently, the rifled slug was instantly frozen in midair, deviating from its path, and shot into the wall behind. But the purpose of this shot was to divert attention in the first place. As the rifled slug was deflected, Yi Chen had already taken his final step close to the enemy, His body like a bow, Swinging a full moon slice, and Ruidento¡¯s offensive gesture also changed at the same time, his palms both facing forward, indicating a ¡°Forbidden¡± sign. Buzz! Two layers of spiritually visible barriers formed a hexagon in front of him. However, the slash with Yi Chen¡¯s right hand contained a portion of Moon Scar¡¯s power, the dreamlike axe blade tore through the barrier, heading straight for Ruidento¡¯s flesh. The Moonlight Slash caused the opponent¡¯s body full of eyes to tremble, The yellow robe he wore immediately left his body and became the third barrier. Hiss! Even the yellow robe was slashed open about a third, finally stopping the slash. The slicing of the yellow garb was akin to cutting into Ruidento¡¯s flesh, and anguished screams emerged from various eyes, Meanwhile, The Big Eye amongst the hood, like a star system, stared unwaveringly at Yi Chen, who had inflicted injury upon him, ¡°Ten Eyes in a Row¡±. As if ten planets aligned in a straight line, Buzz! Yi Chen had no chance to dodge, His body was cut in half at the waist, and even the cavern walls dozens of meters behind him had a cut over a meter deep. The lower half of his body fell to the ground, kneeling, While the upper half flew into the air, But Yi Chen¡¯s gaze remained resolute, his whole brain emanating white steam, the book emblem flipping continuously, his index finger making a hooking motion. ¡°Plant Growth.¡± The previously deflected rifled slug that hit the wall, its casing cracked open! Roots as sturdy as steel and brimming with vitality burst forth rapidly growing like several Spartans wielding spears¡­ Swish, swish! They pierced through Ruidento from behind, who no longer had the protection of his yellow robe. What¡¯s more, As the roots pierced through, they also pushed Ruidento towards Yi Chen¡¯s flying upper body. Thwack! His right hand slapped the Big Eye, with black threads burrowing into it, parasitizing the interior. Seeing this, Yi Chen split his mouth wide, mocking joyfully: ¡°Blame your own greed, coveting the eyes in my brain, not willing to simply cut off my head¡­¡± Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 165 Shedding Chapter 166: Chapter 165 Shedding ¡°` Slap! Yi Chen¡¯s upper body slammed heavily onto the ground, under the influence of the regenerative properties of the neck umbilical cord, roots sprouted excessively from the severed waist and abdomen, extending towards the distant lower body, connecting and joining together. Just as when he battled the Lake Bottom Giant Eye, Yi Chen had complete faith in Little Grape¡¯s control over ¡®eyes¡¯, as long as he could successfully burrow into the opponent¡¯s core Big Eye, this battle would essentially be declared over. Even though it was a relatively short skirmish, the significant relic known as the ¡®Black Umbilical Cord¡¯ was now severely damaged¡­ The cord had mostly shriveled up, far from its original vitality. However, while Yi Chen¡¯s upper and lower bodies were joining together, a wave of discomfort swept over him, feeling that something was not right, feeling that the battle happening here hadn¡¯t ended, sensing another kind of unsettling aura still lingering in the cavern. Because of the dislodging of his eyeballs during the battle, and the temporary departure of Little Grape, Yi Chen could currently see nothing at all; he could only calm his mind to feel the environment, to sense the ¡®movement¡¯ in the darkness, to pinpoint the source of this unease. [Darkness]was quite familiar to Yi Chen, so when his eyes were dislodged, he was not afraid. This, in part, was thanks to his experiences in the orphanage. Despite being exceptionally skilled and winning various games and competitions, earning him exemption from numerous physical punishments compared to his peers, Yi Chen refused to be trapped in the orphanage for life. Before his successful escape, there had been many failures. Every failure would be met with days or even tens of days in the tiny black room. The pitch-black tiny room only allowed a sliver of light through the door when meals were served. And even the provision of meals was utterly random¡ªthe boxes containing food were black, blending into the tiny black room once brought inside. Lifting the lid might reveal fragrant dining hall meals, perhaps a familiar rat friend, possibly centipedes or snakes carrying toxins, and occasionally even a limb accidentally broken during punishment of a peer. Initially, it was very difficult to adapt. Many peers who had been confined in the tiny black room developed severe claustrophobia or went completely insane inside, choosing to end their own lives within a few days of release. But as his incarceration time increased, Yi Chen slowly grew accustomed to complete darkness. He viewed himself as a blind man without eyes, meditating in the darkness, mentally replaying the orphanage¡¯s entire structure, the patrol routes at different times, even mimicking the behavior of every staff member. ¡­ In the stone cavern, Yi Chen quickly calmed down in the darkness, ignoring the state of his upper body connecting to his lower half, and keenly sensing the surrounding environment, Crackle crackle~ Plant roots spontaneously grew from his body and spread across the ground, aiding in the collection of environmental data. In mere seconds, he caught an anomaly; he sensed the gathering of gray matter and the movement of foreign objects, and within these, he felt an indescribable threat creeping up¡­ ¡°What is that!?¡± Smelling the scent of death, Yi Chen did not hesitate to further drain the energy from the umbilical cord, forcing the regeneration of his own eyes; he had to see clearly what that source of danger was. Why, when he had no eyes and sought to probe the past, did a shade of yellow appear in the darkness? As the vitreous body and the lens took shape, the yellow blur projected onto the lens intensified the sense of imminent danger. Finally, with the formation of the iris, cornea, and pupil, he was able to see clearly. The source of danger was the same yellow robe that had been cut open by the Hand Axe during the battle. This robe, unsupported by a physical body, slowly bulged up, radiating currents from the Grey Zone, and with this sight, Yi Chen suddenly realized something! ¡°Could it be¡­ there was never a final Pilgrim at all, but this yellow robe itself is the entity? It¡¯s collecting Pilgrims¡¯ eyeballs, trying to combine them with itself!¡± As he reached this conclusion, the gathered gray currents within the yellow robe had already formed the figure of an emaciated old man, whose rock crease-wrinkled face split into a ghastly smile, slowly advancing towards Yi Chen. Even though he knew the old man was nothing more than a vessel condensed from the yellow robe, Yi Chen was still unable to move; his lower half was still connected to an abundance of plants, and the reconnection process was only 35% complete. As danger approached, even Lorrian in the hospital room found it difficult to stay seated, for he too felt slightly uneasy upon seeing this yellow robe alone. ¡°` Whoosh~ The old man¡¯s seemingly slow pace closed the distance between them in an instant. As his withered right arm stretched out toward Yi Chen, a series of wrinkled and ancient yellow ribbons also spread out, attempting to wrap around Yi Chen¡¯s body with an intent to dominate. A shallow Moon Seal appeared on Yi Chen¡¯s forehead, signaling that Lorrian was ready to make an active appearance within the sickroom. At that moment¡­ swoosh! The yellow ribbon almost touching Yi Chen¡¯s cheek was severed by a streak of red light, followed by the red glow delivering a direct palm strike to the old man¡¯s chest, Red Lotus bloomed~ Boom! The palm strike caused an explosion, with thick red smoke rising from the center of the palm. The old man, clad in a yellow robe, flew out like a bullet, crashing straight into the stone cave wall. Jin arrived just in time, quickly sheathing the red long sword used for the slash behind his back, underneath the colorful mask was a face of astonishment, muttering softly: ¡°Hmm? I had just channeled Red Lotus Energy into my body without any reservation. How come it didn¡¯t explode into dust, still being able to maintain its integrity? Could it be a problem with the yellow clothes?¡± Meanwhile, the piece of yellow satin ribbon cut by Jin seemed to have its own consciousness as it landed, wriggling like an earthworm trying to crawl back to its host. Yi Chen immediately shot out a strand of roots attempting to entrap the yellow ribbon, only to discover that the roots could not touch it, passing directly through the ribbon. Left with no other choice, Yi Chen tried to communicate with the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin,¡± The clothing with enough Skin Content immediately responded, shooting out ancient-threaded filaments from the cuffs, successfully entwining and dragging back the yellow ribbon. The ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± was also very sentient, proactively separating a part of its genuine leather to form an ¡®envelope structure¡¯ that enveloped and sealed the yellow ribbon, returning it to Yi Chen¡¯s hands. At this point, the integration rate between upper and lower body had reached 60%, barely allowing Yi Chen to stand up. He smoothly pocketed the leather envelope inside his coat¡¯s inner pocket. ¡°Jin¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°This old guy in yellow clothes isn¡¯t easy to kill¡­ Let¡¯s work together!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The two assumed the stance they had used against the Holy Embryo, as the yellow-robed old man within the stone walls rapidly healed the wounds caused by the explosion through a spreading gray flow, his twisted and bizarre gait advancing towards them. Just as he contorted his body ready to sprint, Hum! A beam from an electromagnetic cannon blasted from the side, enveloping his entire body. Despite being wrapped in the yellow robe, his physical form rapidly disintegrated under the electromagnetic onslaught. The bombardment left behind only a skeletal structure clinging to pieces of the robe. However, this was only the beginning! A spiritual pressure fell down like a sledgehammer, pressing the yellow-robed old man to the ground. Ludwig Reagan then arrived, his palm aimed at the downed old man¡­ Boom! Another electromagnetic cannon blast hit him, charring the yellow robe black and revealing several openings, the old man¡¯s skeletal frame directly shattered. The blasting sounds of the electromagnetic cannon and violent screams echoed throughout the stone cave. After enduring ten shots of the electromagnetic cannon, only sparse fragments of the yellow robe remained, with the bodily form constructed of grey flow gone without a trace. ¡°Hmm? There¡¯s still something left¡­¡± Just as Reagan was about to deliver the eleventh cannon shot, the fragments of yellow robe on the ground suddenly began to sink, stirring the floor of the cave into an eerie vortex structure. Sensing the danger, Reagan immediately took a step back to avoid the vortex zone. The whirlpool swiftly disappeared with the debris, and even Reagan¡¯s spiritual tracking could no longer locate it. ¡°What in the world is this yellow fabric¡­ Some sort of disease similar to the Gentleman¡¯s Skin?¡± As Reagan looked toward the Big Eye, now fully parasitized by the small grape, he realized that the Gathering Eye Disease had been cleared, then he glanced toward his two teammates, nodding as a sign. The trio had finally regrouped¡­ Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Little Grapes Black Memories Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Little Grape¡¯s Black Memories In the cave, Yi Chen had retracted the umbilical cord into his body and was sitting against the wall, describing to his teammates everything that had taken place here, including the fake monastery, the disguised Watcher, Gathering Eye Disease, and the mysterious yellow robe. Reagan was also surprised that Yi Chen alone could achieve this extent. The opponent was just one step away from achieving Open Source, and there were still unknown doubts in this matter. The focus of discussion was still on ¡°Yellow Eyes¡±. This time, the Patient seemed to be divided into two parts, one being a collection of Pilgrim¡¯s eyeballs, which under the effect of Gathering Eye Disease, integrated into a whole, forming a structure like that of a star system, which currently was being completely parasitized by little grape, undergoing absorption. The other was the bizarre yellow robe, whose known abilities included: 1. Capable of forming a vortex that slightly affects space and absorbs surrounding matter; this trait complements Gathering Eye Disease very well. 2. The robe can perfectly utilize the flowing gray matter in the Gray Domain to construct a physical carrier. 3. The yellow robe¡¯s various resistances and regenerative capabilities are excellent; even if torn into shreds, it can reintegrate. It could serve as a Seal, act as a Shield, and be used for various bizarre attacks. ¡°Indeed, even when I injected Red Lotus Energy by Palm Strike, it barely burst open¡­ Such a fascinating sick object, it would have been good if it hadn¡¯t escaped.¡±, Jin felt some regret that such a fascinating sick object had vanished. Yi Chen, with one hand resting on his raised knee, said, ¡°The information given by the investigation team about the ¡®Yellow Robe¡¯ didn¡¯t mention a word, I estimate that this object might have been a special Sick Object born after the investigation team left Holy Grail Mountain. It might even be material from the Old World that slipped through from the other end of the corridor. When the corridor was born and the Watcher had not yet arrived, this yellow robe came through the corridor to this side, remaining concealed in the dark, undetected by the scouting team. I got a sample here; once we meet the real Watcher, we can ask him if he knows the origin of this thing. In short, Gathering Eye Disease has been dismantled, and the body of the yellow robe has also been heavily damaged by Reagan, so it should not reappear soon. For the rest of our journey, we just need to focus on searching for the corridor.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Everyone took a temporary rest in the cave, of course, mainly waiting for little grape to feed. Yi Chen, having gone through this battle, was also quite tired and leaned against the wall to rest with his eyes closed¡­ just as he closed his eyes, his thoughts were pulled toward the sick ward. Clap clap clap~ The first to greet him was the applause from Lorrian, Before Yi Chen could react, he felt the impact of a metal wheelchair from behind pressing against his knees, causing him to fall backward and sit on it. A nurse with a face wrapped in blood-stained bandages and a smiling face was pushing this wheelchair. Before he could react, the Doctor already arrived beside the wheelchair¡­ The infusion tube on the Doctor seemed to have self-awareness, precisely inserted into the veins of Yi Chen¡¯s hand, delivering a special silvery substance. The Doctor¡¯s head hanging on the infusion rod also peered out with a smiling red lips, a bizarre voice emerging from it, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, this is Lord Lorrian rewarding you for your splendid performance.¡± As the silver liquid entered his body, Yi Chen felt only that his entire body¡¯s fatigue was rapidly recovering. Lorrian in the sickbed turned his whole body around, stopping the applause. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you really could handle it alone. Although you used a lot of external devices, it was mainly thanks to your efforts~ I really didn¡¯t see you wrong, I am looking forward more and more to the moment you mature.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± In response to the infusion provided by Moon Scar, Yi Chen chose to express his gratitude, and while meeting, he asked, ¡°Do you know what that yellow robe is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure; it¡¯s a very strange thing. However, I vaguely feel that the yellow robe is very interested in you, or rather, interested in your body. I¡¯m afraid it has been focusing on you ever since you climbed the mountain.¡± Through layers of induced arrangements, your teammates were lured onto a different path, allowing you to be brought alone to a platform in the mountains, where a flaw was deliberately exposed to reveal a hidden passage. Even a tremendous amount of energy was expended to use the eyeball collection he had painstakingly gathered to set up an extraordinarily realistic fake monastery. I have a feeling it will follow you, and might even meet you again at the other end of the passage. ¡°By then, I will no longer be inside you. Be careful not to be possessed if you encounter that thing.¡± ¡°Are you interested in me¡­?¡± Moon Scar¡¯s reasoning was sound, and Yi Chen also sensed that the figure in yellow robes seemed genuinely interested in him. An infusion lasting half an hour restored Yi Chen to his peak condition, When leaving the patient room like a gentleman, he thanked the female doctor and nurse sister, who in turn performed a rather strange ritual gesture, hoping to have the opportunity to offer Yi Chen special treatment services again. As consciousness returned, Yi Chen reopened his eyes in the cave, sitting beside him, Reagan and Jin had already stood up, gazing intently at the spot occupied by Little Grape. Upon awakening, Yi Chen also smelled an extremely familiar graveyard aura, more precisely the distinct scent of the Seven-Day Cemetery. Hurriedly, he got up to check out the situation, where Little Grape previously was, a nameless mound had evolved, with broken stones randomly stacked as a tombstone, exactly as when they first met in Cemetery No. 6. Reagan explained from the side, ¡°The mound was dug out by itself, the Pilgrim¡¯s eyeballs have been completely parasitized, maybe due to its birth in a graveyard, it needed the graveyard environment for the final absorption and evolution, I guess.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Not long after, Waves of intense dead qi burst forth from the mound, even cloaking the entire cave with a thick layer of dead air. A pitch-black skeleton arm stretched out from the mound, soon followed by a complete, rag-wrapped skeletal frame with a mysterious glow all over it, the eye socket in the skull distinctly embedded with a lone eye. Just as everyone thought this was Little Grape¡¯s new form, the lone eye slipped from its socket, and the skeleton also crumbled and scattered, The eye, falling to the ground, swiftly grew black fur, reverting to Little Grape¡¯s original form. Only the eyeball in its mouth had enlarged and its pupil structure was more intricate, resembling some sort of secret technique array. Little Grape didn¡¯t seem very excited, but instead hopped back onto Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder and burrowed into his body. ¡°I¡­ saw some rather unpleasant scenes.¡± Little Grape muttered. ¡°What scenes?¡± ¡°I saw the Star River, saw ancient battlefields, I was like a corpse scavenger, picking up remaining eyeballs across the battlefields. Then there were no more memories.¡± ¡°Little Grape, I remember you said you were formed from a fusion of many unnamed ancient corpses from ¡®Cemetery No. 6,¡¯ perhaps these memories come from one of those ancient corpses?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ This memory retrieval made me uncomfortable, I haven¡¯t been able to fully control it. Eating so many eyeballs at once, including one named ¡®The Main Eye of Saint Alvaro,¡¯ was indeed a bit forced.¡± ¡°Take a rest for a while, the crisis has been resolved. Once we find the passage, I¡¯ll wake you up then.¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t rush to inquire what abilities Little Grape had obtained, seeing that Little Grape was a bit off, he decided to let him rest properly. However, Little Grape continued talking to himself, ¡°After awakening this memory, I seem to be able to independently construct the ¡®ancient corpse form¡¯ corresponding to the memory, gaining the respective power of the corpse form¡­ maybe I can provide you with combat support like Miss Faye.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°The scattered black skeleton on the ground is a half-finished product, I still can¡¯t fully construct it.¡± As Little Grape spoke, he fell asleep from exhaustion, and Yi Chen promptly wove a comfortable hammock inside his body with plants. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 167: Temple on the Mountain Top Chapter 168: Chapter 167: Temple on the Mountain Top In the stone cave, Ludwig Reagan gazed at the black skeletons scattered on the ground. Although these bones were temporarily constructed by the Grape, they possessed the texture of being over a hundred years old, With his ultra-high ¡°Perception¡± and as a Prototype Master by profession, he could envision an extremely evil black wizard in his mind, When he reached out to touch the black skeletons that were disintegrating, the image in his mind became more concrete, and even eyeballs emitting black smoke seemed to want to crawl up Reagan¡¯s arm, corroding his flesh. Zzt! A surge of electromagnetic fluctuations caused the eyeballs on his arm to shrivel and fall off. ¡°William, your pet has great potential,¡± ¡°Grape is indeed an important product of the Seven-Day Graveyard; without it, I would have died in the cemetery long ago. Let¡¯s keep moving! We should be close to the real pathway by now.¡± The squad maneuvered out of the stone cave and continued upward along the rugged mountain path. The altitude they were at now made it apparent that the concentration of the Grey Zone was changing¡ªthe higher they climbed, the thicker the concentration¡­ It was almost certain that the ¡°pathway¡± lay at the peak. When there was no mountain path ahead, the group chose to climb the rocks, which was a piece of cake for Jin, with his astonishing body technique, and even proved to be much faster than taking the mountain path. Yi Chen, with the assistance of plants, found rock climbing equally effortless, Just when they thought the slightly overweight Reagan would have a hard time, whoosh! Six soft, drill-bit-equipped metal appendages sprouted from the exoskeleton spine on his back, carrying him up the rocks swiftly. Reagan also took out his ¡°happy water¡± from his backpack, guzzling it down in large gulps, a fraction of the sugar entering his body converted into reserve electrical energy for the exoskeleton spine. Within just half an hour, the edge of the mountain top was already in sight All three of them climbed to the top almost simultaneously, expecting a desolate and extraordinary scene¡­ But instead, they felt as though they had broken into some kind of sealed space. Hum! A buzzing in their ears disturbed their thoughts as their gentleman¡¯s clothes writhed to enhance the protection of their flesh. Their vision grew dim. The grassy peaks and open skies that should have been there no longer existed, only a ground covered in gray dust and a grey dome enveloping the summit. ¡°The environment here has undergone a qualitative change! This is¡­ a middle Grey Zone!¡± Unlike the gray mist that had pervaded the mountains before, the gray matter, as a carrier of Pathological, had turned from a gaseous state into clear grains of sand underfoot and into a membrane that completely isolated the outside world. Without the protection of the gentleman¡¯s clothes, the sand beneath their feet would have penetrated directly into their bodies through the pores, stimulating and inducing various possible deep pathologies. At that moment, Lorrian¡¯s voice came through: ¡°William, grab some of the sand with your right hand¡ªlet me feel it.¡± Yi Chen did not refuse, pretending to inspect the environment, he bent down and picked up a handful of the gray dust to observe in his hand. Since the right side of his body was part of Moon Scar, this gray dust posed no threat in his right hand, Although it appeared the grains were penetrating his skin, they were quickly expelled from the body. Lorrian, sensing the essence of these dust grains, whispered, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, although I¡¯ve never been to the Old World, this structure of dust grains feels incredibly familiar; the Old World must also be filled with such gray dust. I¡¯m getting more and more excited¡ªhurry and take me there. By the way, I¡¯ve already vaguely sensed the aura of a powerful being, so I will be sealing off the sickroom and won¡¯t communicate for the time being.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The group walked on the sandy land without encountering any dangers, or perhaps all the dangers here had already been cleared by the true Watcher. Upon reaching the center of the mountain summit, there lay a Stone Temple. Due to the special experience at the Monastery earlier, Yi Chen remained on guard, immediately calling out Grape to provide Visual Enhancement¡­ perhaps due to absorbing the Eye of the Pilgrim. With Grape¡¯s visual access, the capture of details about things instantly rose to another level. Each grain of gray sand moved in an orderly fashion under Vision¡¯s observation, resembling both some kind of activated pathological carrier and a swarm of rule particles revolving around the passage. The Stone Temple was also composed of these sand grains, a ¡®special structure¡¯ intrinsic to the Gray Domain. Once confirmed, Yi Chen was the first to step into the temple, carrying a suitcase, Jin almost stepped in simultaneously, his mask lowered, Reagan, with electric arcs flashing between his pupils, was the last to walk in, hands in pockets, fully alert. Almost at the same time, Yi Chen¡¯s gaze caught a flicker of dark light, Jin sensed an unimaginable physical fluctuation, and Reagan detected a more concrete powerful entity. ¡°Dodge!¡± Yi Chen and Reagan rolled away to the left and right in a standard gentleman¡¯s dodge, Jin used the Red Lotus Explosion in his calf muscles to leap several meters high, just brushing the top of the temple. Humm! A massive, heavy black halberd with battle scars on its surface swept across, its tremendous force causing the very space to tremble. The black halberd lay across where they had just stood, so large and exaggerated it seemed impossible for humans to wield, Its shaft extended into the depths of the temple, three meters up decorated with dragon scale ring seals, also giving off the impression of a heft not meant for human hands. At that moment, Jin, who had leapt up to dodge, landed on the black halberd, Stepping on the sturdy shaft, the Red Lotus Mark on his calves bursting with extreme speed as he charged toward the wielder of the black halberd and drew his sword. Bang! A dull thud echoed, Jin, with his back bulging, flew rapidly out of the darkness. Yi Chen, highly focused, extended his arms and fired a net of plants, using all his strength just to barely catch Jin. Jin, with his ribs partly shattered and his abdomen severely hit, wore a crazed smile, As he injected the flesh juice syringe into his neck, muttering while his internal organs healed: ¡°Really strong indeed¡­ Beili instructor wasn¡¯t wrong; those chosen as Watchers are all freakishly strong loners.¡± Then, the sound of heavy metal boot hooves came from the dark, A Watcher appeared before them, nearly three meters tall, wearing a human-faced cast iron helmet, his skin overgrown with ¡®metal armor¡¯, donned in black iron dragon pattern metal shoes. Most exaggerated of all, he wielded a four-meter-long, massive black halberd single-handedly. Rather than a gentleman, he resembled an ancient knight. Such an image gave Yi Chen a deeper understanding of what it meant to breach human limits, a sense of oppression true to a Watcher, incomparable to the previous Disguisers. The human face within the cast iron helmet conveyed a solemn aura as he looked at the three before him, ¡°Zion can still produce such high-quality young people; have you cleared the most troublesome Gathering Eye Disease, by the looks of it?¡± ¡°Yes~ But on the way to clearing the eyes, we also encountered some troubles. Gathering Eye Disease is connected to another illness; I wonder if you¡¯re aware, Watcher?¡± ¡°What illness?¡± Yi Chen took out a genuine leather envelope from his pocket, barely opening a gap to prevent the yellow fabric inside from escaping. As the Watcher observed the hidden yellow substance, his expression changed. ¡°An unknown skin disease, at least something I¡¯ve never seen in my experience, could be a new form of skin illness¡­ or perhaps a product of the Old World that ran out of the passage before I arrived. Keep it. Any skin-related illnesses taken back to Zion for an audience with the First Gentleman will yield answers.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 168: The Other Side of the Passage Chapter 169: Chapter 168: The Other Side of the Passage In the depths of the Temple, a bonfire blazed. The bonfire here was not fueled by firewood but by pieces of armor that could burn in a special way. These armor plates were supplied unlimitedly by the Watcher. His unique physical body could continuously grow such plates. The ignited bonfire burned deep in the Gray Domain and was effective in suppressing other Patients as well as guarding the passage. Everyone was asked to sit around the bonfire, believing there would be a series of checks before entering the passage. However, there were no such checks, or rather, when Yi Chen and others stepped into the Temple and evaded the Black Halberd, they had already passed the checks. Sitting in front of the bonfire was just an informal chat. This Watcher, wearing a human face iron helmet, seemed solemn but actually enjoyed chatting casually with Yi Chen and the newcomers. He asked about everything from the current state of Zion to their individual assessments of becoming gentlemen and entering the city. Occasionally, a mature but slightly silly laugh would even emerge from beneath his iron helmet. During the casual conversation, everyone could see the Watcher¡¯s body continuously growing five pieces of armor plates of different specifications, which he then casually threw into the bonfire. During the chat, the Watcher also willingly shared some information about himself. [Black Heavy Halberd ¨C Orman Yude] An early Executioner of the Organization, and one of the Black Knights (a title now obsolete), he was a vital fighting force for the Organization. He later transitioned to become a Watcher, reducing his ties with the Organization and no longer handling killing tasks. The cast iron helmet he wore and the black halberd he held were specially made equipment from the time he was a Black Knight. He was born into a Knight Family and qualified for the ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± modifications; his original outfit was a set of dark and heavy black armor. Later, as his skin content increased, when it reached 50%, the armor actually merged with his body. It seemed as though he wore no clothes, yet his physical body could achieve the defensive effect of armor¡­ and he could even grow full protective armor during key battles, doubling the defense. With his increasing familiarity with the armor, he discovered more and more uses for it, such as the ¡®Suppressing Bonfire¡¯ formed by burning armor, and for example, when Orman rushed to the [Passage], he directly separated a large number of armor plates to form a deep helmet warhorse underneath him, weighing several tons, crushing any obstructing Patients into powder under the warhorse¡¯s heavy hooves and the swings of his black halberd. A pure Physique gentleman, who is now eighty years old, yet due to an Extreme Breakthrough, he disregarded the constraints of age, growing stronger each year. During the conversation, Yi Chen could clearly feel Orman¡¯s ¡®loneliness¡¯. Having been mostly alone on the outside for a long time, with barely an opportunity to communicate with people, now encountering three young individuals whose talents were not inferior to his, he almost wanted to recount his life story in front of the bonfire. ¡°Mr. Orman, can you not return to Zion?¡± Yi Chen suddenly threw out a pivotal question. The man under the cast iron mask was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Once I stop my hurried travels and settle in a temporarily comfortable place, a seed of ¡®laziness¡¯ would be planted in my heart. The world is ill, and places like Zion would eventually be swallowed by the Gray Domain. If we want to truly extend human civilization, we must cultivate enough people who can live normally in the Gray Domain before that happens, even if their bodies lean toward becoming Patients, as long as they can maintain their human nature. If I were to become lazy and abandon the duties of a Watcher, it would reduce the rate of nurturing talents, and you wouldn¡¯t meet me here today.¡± Upon hearing this, both Yi Chen and the nearby Reagan also stood up to salute. ¡°You three are quite exceptional, managing to remain calm in front of my Black Halberd without being overwhelmed mentally shows that you are qualified to go to the other end. Come, let¡¯s first go see the [Passage], and then I¡¯ll discuss the specific rules with you.¡± Lighting the kerosene lamp at his waist, they followed Mr. Orman all the way to the deepest part of the Temple, where an ordinary-looking stone wall blocked their path, Yi Chen, combining his vision with Grape, quickly spotted the difference, ¡°Is it here?¡± Yi Chen pointed to a stone brick in the upper right corner of the wall. ¡°Can you see it right away? Were the [Gathering Eye Disease] that affected you along the way absorbed by you?¡± Yi Chen scratched the back of his head, ¡°Sort of.¡± Snap! Orman used his exaggeratedly huge hands to forcibly remove the stone, geometrically speaking, this stone corresponded to an area outside the temple. However, with the removal of the stone, a seemingly bottomless horizontal passage was revealed¡­ even Yi Chen, peering deep into it, could not see its end. The passage was just big enough to fit one person, and one could only crawl through it. ¡°You will be the first group of ¡®outsiders¡¯ to enter this passage,¡± ¡°Since the passage was formed less than a month ago and only touches the surface of the Old World, the probability of you being discovered is very low¡­ as long as you don¡¯t actively seek death, you can mostly come back alive. I believe your teachers or instructors at Zion have already explained the rules to you, I¡¯ll just briefly mention them here. Since the ¡®time¡¯ of the Old World has been sealed, it is difficult for individuals to judge the passage of time through their own senses, nor can they refer to any natural phenomena. Therefore, you need to take ¡®time¡¯ with you.¡± Orman took out a special hourglass he had prepared in advance, filled with gray sand taken from the local environment. This hourglass was very small and could almost not be damaged when packed in a backpack, and once the timing started, no amount of flipping would affect it. ¡°[One day] This is the maximum time you newcomers can be active in the Old World. Should you exceed this time, the risk of exposure will increase exponentially, and your mind and body will be more susceptible to diseases¡­ If you return in the state of a Patient, I might have to execute you on the spot. A final reminder, don¡¯t be too greedy. Don¡¯t think about obtaining something precious, something rare; regardless of whether you gain something, make sure to calculate the time and route of your departure in advance. You are still young, and there will be more opportunities in the future to undertake [Relic Events].¡± ¡°Go.¡± ¡°See you in a day!¡± In the same order, Yi Chen crawled first, Jin in the middle, and Reagan bringing up the rear. Reagan, with his stout physique, also managed to squeeze into the relatively narrow passage with some difficulty, Although the group felt they hadn¡¯t been crawling long in the passage, they could already no longer see the exit behind them, nor sense the oppressive presence of the Watcher, as if they had lost contact with the Original World. Lorrian¡¯s voice came from within: ¡ºIt¡¯s surprising how easily they let you into the passage, I thought the human Watchers would perform quite strict checks. Hurry up and accelerate, I can¡¯t wait to see the origin of the illness.¡» As there were no dangers in the passage, the team gradually sped up their crawling. After an indeterminate amount of time, they finally reached the end of the passage. Strangely, the exit was sealed by a square stone block similar to those in the temple; pushing with a hand¡­ snap! The stone block fell heavily to the ground. The area they arrived at after crawling out of the passage was still a stone temple, even the size of the space and the specifications of the stone pillars were exactly the same. But there were no Watchers here, nor any burning bonfires. The moment they crawled out of the passage, the kerosene lamp hanging at their waists went out, unable to ignite, Wearing gentleman¡¯s clothes, they created a ¡®real leather mask¡¯ through erecting the collar and interweaving silk threads, allowing the group to breathe normally. Both Yi Chen and Jin could feel the agitation of the clothes, the ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯ inside was being slowly consumed, and the Skin Content was gradually decreasing. This was also why the Watcher emphasized repeatedly that the newcomers¡¯ activity time in the Old World was limited to one day. If they exceeded the time, like Jin, whose clothing had a low Skin Content, the protection would be greatly weakened after over half of it was consumed, greatly increasing the probability of infection, and survival would not be guaranteed. Of course, for a newcomer like Yi Chen, who had a higher Skin Content, perhaps they could slightly extend the time. The hourglass started, the countdown began, Stepping out of the temple, the scene in front of them made all three stop in their tracks and stare wide-eyed at the horizon. The vast sky had no obstructions to the view, no clouds, no moving creatures, as if covered with a layer of dead grey canvas. A pitch-black ¡®sun¡¯ hung at the center of the world, and this pitch-black sun was pierced by an unreasonably large sword, its blade embedding further into the earth, as if sealing and killing this world. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 169 Sick Focus Chapter 170: Chapter 169 Sick Focus The Old World, also known as the Focus of Infection. Yi Chen had read about the Old World in the foundational collection area of the Great Book Library. This matter was not kept secret but was fully disclosed to the organization. The organization, established for so many years, had sacrificed countless distinguished gentlemen, confirming this through extensive investigations. All illnesses were not autonomously produced by the world but were directly or indirectly infected from the Old World, which was the origin of diseases, a collection point for all the root causes of illnesses. On the title page of the book, there was a sentence left by the founder of the organization, along with an illustration. ¡°It is not that we contracted the disease, but the disease came to us.¡± The illustration was divided into three parts: 1. Sketching a planet representing human life, with Central Domain and the Five Continents clearly marked, completely normal without any issues. 2. Beyond our planet, to the right, appeared another living planet, oozing pus, corroding, and even growing tendrils capable of floating in space, but the entire planet was pierced through by a giant sword. 3. This diseased planet, through the floating of its tendrils, successfully approached and clung to the back of the human planet like a tumor. Subsequently, the tendrils drilled tiny holes into this world, spreading the carried diseases through these holes and gradually assimilating them. This diseased planet represented the Old World, and the small holes represented the passages. Of course, this was just a greatly simplified illustration to help most people understand; the true situation required high-dimensional drawing to be accurately expressed. According to the book, the Old World, as the center of diseases, was completely locked for some reason, including the continuity of time and the expansion of space, both ceased. There was no normal air to breathe, and even the simple exothermic chemical reaction associated with a kerosene lamp couldn¡¯t occur, This completely locked world was like a human nailed to a bed board, all organs removed, all blood vessels tightened, all muscles severed, even with a surgical knife pierced through the brain. It should have died outright, yet the Old World, like a zombie, not only did not die, but its insides still continuously bred germs, those sources of disease hidden deep within, still somehow maintained alive. Either by the movement of its tendrils, or by spraying large quantities of metabolites, such a disease center of a world, even when locked down, was still able to wander between dimensions, randomly attaching itself to some normal world, drawing nutritional sustenance from it and transmitting diseases. All of the above was the basic information Yi Chen read from the books, but there was no mention of the structure of the Old World, the status of life within it, the distribution of powers, etc., which had to be explored on one¡¯s own. ¡°Lorrian, when will you separate from inside me?¡± Facing Yi Chen¡¯s question, it took a minute before a voice responded: ¡°How disappointing¡­ utterly disappointing~ It¡¯s unbelievable that the origin of the illness could be a dying place, with not a glimmer of hope in sight. That unknown giant sword probably killed this world countless eons ago, no wonder it adheres to the back of the human world through a ¡®passage¡¯. Right now, I¡¯m in no hurry to go out and feel such a desolate place. I¡¯ll stay inside you for a little while longer until you have a chance to separate from your teammates, or are forced to separate, then I will peel away from your body. This is also for your sake~ after all, once I separate it means the instantaneous loss of your right half. In such a world full of death, losing half of your body is extremely dangerous. As a small token of my appreciation for bringing me here, I¡¯ll offer a small surgery when we separate.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Outside the Temple lay an endless gray desert, belonging to the surface of the Old World. Many newcomers who arrived at the Old World for the first time were completely like headless flies, afraid of losing the location of the ¡®passage¡¯, and left without much exploration due to time constraints. According to statistics within Zion, only 8.1% of the newcomers who arrived at the Old World for the first time to explore relics managed to bring something back. And it¡¯s not to say that some were just ordinary relics, nowhere comparable to the Black Umbilical Cord in Yi Chen¡¯s hands, some still involved a bit of luck, such as wandering in the desert for a while and then kicking a hard object, only to pick it up and find it to be a fairly intact relic. That is, without a clear exploration goal, the day would soon pass, with individual consciousness hesitating, or even subjectively getting lost, which could accelerate the flow of time, making it feel like hours had passed in the blink of an eye. As Yi Chen was briefly communicating with Lorrian within him, ¡°Over here!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a sensing here~¡± ¡°This way¡­giggle!¡± Three voices rang out within the team simultaneously, One voice came from Reagan, who was trying to release electrical energy by touching the sand grains with his hands. Instead of dispersing chaotically, the electricity surprisingly spread in a particular direction. Another voice came from Jin, who began digging through the sand right away, extending her arm as deep as possible into the sandy depths, reaching out further with Red Lotus roots. As a ¡°Pathological Trait,¡± the Red Lotus indeed sensed something and sprouted a red lotus on the sandy surface not far away, serving as a special marker for progress. The third voice came from the small Pei on Jin¡¯s body, an animal patient who had jumped onto the ground the moment they arrived in the Old World and took on a posture of laying eggs. Who knew that small Pei would actually hatch an egg, but it was a gray egg. Since everything in the Old World was sealed, including ¡®fertility,¡¯ this newly hatched egg was confirmed to be dead. Hard, gray, just like a round stone. This Dead Egg didn¡¯t sink into the sand upon landing but rolled between the undulating dunes towards a specific direction. Even if the Dead Egg was picked up and put down again, it continued rolling in the fixed direction. However, the direction of the electrical flow, the position of the Red Lotus growth, and the path of the Dead Egg¡¯s roll were entirely different, presenting a multiple-choice question. Time was limited, a decision had to be made immediately. As Yi Chen quickly thought, Reagan pinched the flesh on his face with two fingers, offering his thought: ¡°William, the fact that you alone can overcome the risks of Gathering Eye Disease is enough to show that you¡¯re capable of conducting a Relic exploration by yourself. Moreover, as the Watcher said, this time we¡¯re dealing with a completely new, surface-level, least dangerous passageway. In my opinion, we all have the level to search for relics alone. Since we¡¯ve found three meaningful paths right at the start, why not split up and go separately? I¡¯ll take the path of electrical sensing; you and Miss Jin each choose one path¡­ Time it right, and let¡¯s meet at the Temple after a day. Let¡¯s try to find the relics that belong to us and match us in one go.¡± Jin immediately raised her right hand in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s the plan~ Since it¡¯s the least difficult exploration of the Old World, we should take full advantage.¡± Yi Chen cast his gaze at his two teammates, confirming the proposal. ¡°See you at the Temple after a day! Remember, keep an eye on the time¡­¡± As Yi Chen cautioned this, he immediately moved close to Jin, embraced her, and whispered in her ear: ¡°Jin, remember, one day!¡± Jin gently lifted a corner of her mask, revealing her tender, thin lips, and turned her head to press it against Yi Chen¡¯s earlobe. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, in such a completely unknown area full of hidden risks, I will be more reserved, and I¡¯ll also try my best to survive, it wouldn¡¯t be fun if I died¡­ It¡¯s you, William, who shouldn¡¯t get too carried away and forget the time.¡± During the conversation, Jin quickly reached into Yi Chen¡¯s shirt, pressing against his right chest. ¡°I¡¯ve felt it from the start¡­ the rhythm of your right side of the body is different than usual. Even though I don¡¯t know why you would hide it from us, I still trust you. Don¡¯t mess around, remember to meet on time after a day.¡± Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 170: Separation Chapter 171: Chapter 170: Separation There wasn¡¯t much of a choice between Yi Chen and Jin. Since Jin¡¯s main attribute ¡°Red Lotus¡± had initiated sensing, she inevitably chose that direction. After waving goodbye, Reagan and Jin each set out on their respective paths, leaving only Yi Chen standing alone. Either follow the Dead Egg laid by Xiaopei or carve out a path for himself. Yi Chen held the Dead Egg in one hand and propped himself up on the sandy ground with the other, trying his best to root the plant deep enough into the soil, but, regrettably, the plant with Pathological Traits received no sensing response. The little grape standing on his shoulder, whether dancing, glaring, or spitting¡ªnone of these actions evoked any environmental reaction. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s truly arranged by destiny; I¡¯ll go with this egg.¡± Just as Yi Chen was ready to follow the egg, the voice of Lorrian came from within him: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you guys to choose to split up so soon. Since that¡¯s the case, shall we take a bit of time to separate?¡± ¡°That works.¡± He returned to the relatively safe Temple. Yi Chen had tied the umbilical cord around his neck in advance. After a period of climbing and crawling through passages, the ¡°Black Umbilical Cord¡± from the Old World had mostly recovered. As he undid his gentleman¡¯s clothes¡­ Buzz! Go to ????????????????????.co A Moon Seal emerged on his right half, and with a faint glow, a moon membrane wrapped around Yi Chen¡¯s entire body, isolating him from the erosion that the Old World inflicted on the flesh. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m starting now!¡± ¡°Bring it on¡­¡± A burst of intense moonlight flashed before his eyes, instantly stripping the right half of his body from its ownership, The flesh along the body¡¯s midline tore open slowly, One by one, the stitches of moonlight silver threads embedded within were pulled out, The right arm assumed a crawling posture, dragging out the right half of the body and the parts hidden within it. Once separated, the now naked Moon Scar hastily dressed himself in the familiar patient¡¯s attire from the Clinic, And with a simple gesture, moonlight rained down, falling on the edge of the Temple. Doctor and nurse rapidly took shape at the boundary of light and shadow, hurrying to build a surgery table for Yi Chen and connecting tubes for fluid transfusion to the wounds on his bisected body. However, Even with the assistance of the Moon Scar and the rejuvenation provided by the umbilical cord, Directly reconstructing the entire right half of the body, including legs, arms, viscera, and all blood vessels and nerves, was still a considerable stretch. The construction process might take several hours, or even longer, to gradually adapt to. Even if it were successful, it wouldn¡¯t be the original body, and would inevitably include differences that would make it feel quite unfamiliar, significantly reducing combat skills. However, Yi Chen had long been considering the issue of the ¡®right half of the body¡¯ and how to quickly recover without affecting the exploration of the Old World after the Moon Scar¡¯s departure. The only solution he could think of was just one. Lying on the surgery table, Yi Chen did not proceed with physical regeneration, but instead had the umbilical cord help stabilize his life force, ensuring the normal operation of his left half. Immediately after, Strangely enough, black hairs began to sprout from the cross-section of the wound, seeping out wisps of cold, clean lake water to cleanse and disinfect the wound. When the cleaning was done, Whoosh! A set of black-coated ribs, arm bones, and leg bones swiftly grew out, forming a complete right half skeleton in less than a minute. Hiss~ Layers of ancient black corpse qi rose from the bone surface, Generating flesh, More than regenerating, it resembled the growth on a corpse from the cemetery, The bone surface developed a kind of graveyard flesh particular to a corpse, which was then stitched and connected together with black hairs. In the end, A right half of the body, akin to a dark forest, took shape, the entire process taking no more than five minutes. A mouth containing eyeballs also opened in the chest cavity, not fixed in place, this mouth could move freely around the black-haired right half. Yi Chen also got up from the surgery table, disconnecting all the infusion tubes, and nodded in thanks to the doctor and nurse. He dressed, Put on gloves, The right half of his body, covered in black, was completely hidden, revealing no abnormalities. That was the trade Yi Chen had made in advance with Little Grape, as a compensation for consuming the Eye of the Pilgrim. During the day of exploration in the Old World, Little Grape would assume the role of the ¡°right half-body¡±. However, when Yi Chen tried to move his right arm, he felt a slightly unfamiliar sensation. There had been times when Little Grape substituted his hand or arm, but this time, Body Shape Yi Chen felt something more, some strange and ancient magic power harbored within his right arm. ¡°This right half-body of Little Grape feels a little unfamiliar¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s related to my awakening memories, why don¡¯t you check it with clothes?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the information bar between his retinas materialized, Yi Chen bypassed the various basic attributes, professional traits, and pathological traits, going directly to the pet section. Whereas previously he could not get any information on Little Grape, now he was presented with an additional piece of information, as shown below: ¡ÚPet¡Û [Name]: Little Grape.Grep *The origin, basic information, and abilities of this pet are difficult to fully verify, suspected to be a combination of several ancient corpses over three hundred years old. The information of one of the combined corpses is now detected, as follows: ¡°Corpse Name¡± ¨C Eye Collector.Gemhar ¡°Introduction¡± ¨C Born in a poor mountain village where even fire was rare, Gemhar naturally possessed a pair of bright eyes that helped him find food in the darkness. One night while hunting, his supernatural vision led him to discover a gentleman in hiding, waiting for patient prey. Because of his talent with eyes, he was recommended to an organization and became a Sensing Gentleman, choosing the profession of ¡°Demon Eye Mage¡± of the Blue Letters. After breaking through the Limit of Man, his psyche was gradually consumed by greed, and he began to crazily collect eyeballs in secret, including those of fallen comrades. Following a large-scale conflict, Gemhar deliberately hid in advance, waiting for the gentleman¡¯s troops to clash with patients, and then collected the eyeballs of the dead on the battlefield. In the process, he became pathologically deteriorated, completely fallen. Later, due to his excessive greed and wandering between different Gray Domains, he interfered with the interests of multiple patient powers and was ultimately killed. His fragmented corpse was coincidentally discovered by a squad on a mission in the Gray Domain, and upon passing through Easton Town for team reorganization, they were approached by the Manager of the Seven-Day Cemetery¡ªWilbert, who purchased the corpse. Buried in the most dangerous area, Cemetery No. 6, it became one of the ¡°construction materials¡±. ¡°Corpse Development Level¡±: 30% *It can barely demonstrate a Corpse Form, use the basic abilities of the corpse (weakened version), specifically as follows: 1. Pupil Skill Mastery¡ªPupil-related abilities are amplified for better effects and less mental fatigue. 2. Witchcraft¡ªCapable of casting specific witchcraft, which also gain witchcraft-enhanced effects when casting spells. [Pet Status]: Right half-body mimicry, with a 100% nerve connection compatibility with the host, not affecting any actions or ability casting of the individual. ¡­ ¡°Eye Collector, a Fallen Gentleman who has broken through human limits? If it were the original, he might be able to compete face to face with Moon Scar.¡± ¡°Hehe, Little Grape¡¯s origin is not simple! Hurry up and try out the new abilities of the right half-body.¡± Yi Chen stood at the entrance of the Temple, his palm aimed at the sand dunes on the ground. As an eyeball opened in his palm, the gray sand actually began to rotate under the gaze of the eyeball, although it couldn¡¯t manipulate and crush objects by glaring like an Eye Collector, it wasn¡¯t far off. Following that, Yi Chen tried to use the plants within his body, making roots shoot out from his right hand covered in black hairs. When the plants moved through his arm, they spontaneously took on an effect of witchcraft¡­ Whoosh! The roots shot out from his palm turned into withered branches suffused with the scent of a curse. When they were inserted into the sand, wisps of black smoke arose, and their damage increased. ¡°Witchcraft augmentation! Really nice!¡± Snap! A white hand reached from behind and gently landed on Yi Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that instead of regenerating yourself, you¡¯d let this interesting pet replace your right half-body¡­ a good choice, it won¡¯t waste too much time, and we can explore the Old World together now.¡± ¡°Hm? You haven¡¯t left?¡± Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 171: Unexpected Encounter Chapter 172: Chapter 171: Unexpected Encounter In the boundless gray desert. Like a round stone, a gray lifeless egg was slowly rolling, because its rolling speed was slow, Yi Chen, after estimating the egg¡¯s rolling direction, would pick up the egg and sprint one hundred meters before setting it down again, make a brief directional adjustment, then pick up the egg and move another hundred meters. This cycle repeated. During the routine of Yi Chen picking up and placing down the egg, a silver-haired young man followed him, leaning on a mobile metal cane commonly seen in hospitals. Moon Trace Lorrian, disillusioned with the Old World, had not embarked on the exploration alone, and he also gave up the idea of settling in the Old World. Comparing the two worlds, Lorrian still thought the original world was better; this trip was just a day tour of the Old World. Eventually, he would need Yi Chen¡¯s physical body to transcend back through the passage, so they formed the current odd duo of one person and one patient. Such a team had its pros and cons, as Moon Trace¡¯s strength allowed them to venture deeper and greatly increased the chances of retrieving relics. Should they accidentally encounter another Gentleman Team who had come to the Old World, things could become complicated, and Moon Trace was very likely to kill them all, leaving no survivors. The two had been advancing through the desert for an unknown duration, and their concept of time became increasingly blurry, Go to ????????????????????.co this time, Yi Chen did not pick up the lifeless egg from the ground but let it continue rolling, turning instead to take an hourglass out of his backpack to recover his sense of time. ¡°What! It¡¯s already been half a day?¡± The gray sand in the hourglass had already run halfway¡­ Generally, newcomers exploring the Old World must consider returning once half their time has elapsed. Yi Chen was just starting his exploration and hadn¡¯t encountered anything yet. Moon Trace came over and gently patted his back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Your outfit has a high skin content, it could easily withstand another day¡­ Plus, I¡¯m here, so it¡¯s okay to play a bit more. ¡°Let your friend go back first, we can return later as long as we¡¯re not exposed.¡± Lorrian¡¯s palm, patting Yi Chen¡¯s back, released a layer of a special Moonlight Barrier, causing the dark coat to gain a silver tint, changing the entire style of the person. The consumption rate of skin content was halved. ¡°Thank you, but let¡¯s try to keep it within a day. If it¡¯s longer, the Watcher will surely conduct a full-body inspection on me, and it¡¯s very likely they¡¯ll discover your presence.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they find out~ I don¡¯t need to preserve my physical strength or anything. That fellow with armor grown from his body is quite formidable, but not yet strong enough to kill me. Don¡¯t overthink it, focus on the exploration at hand. If such a duo as us returns empty-handed, that would really be indefensible.¡± During the brief communication between the two, the lifeless egg had rolled a significant distance, and upon closer observation, its rolling speed had increased and was still accelerating¡­ rolling towards a large sandy hollow. Yi Chen noticed the accelerating egg, and was just preparing to speed up to chase it when, snap! A pale and withered arm suddenly stretched out from the lower end of the pit, tightly grabbing the lifeless egg. Seeing this, Yi Chen immediately shifted to a gun-axe stance. Lorrian¡¯s eyes flashed with silver light, his hand gently touching beneath his right eye, ready to uncover the bandage obscuring his sight. Suddenly, an exaggerated scene occurred, centered around the pit where the withered arm appeared, the sand within a hundred meters began to churn like quicksand, starting to sink downwards. Yi Chen and Lorrian also jumped back immediately to withdraw, escaping the range of the quicksand. Suddenly, a mobile structure that integrated the themes of ¡°Ancient Castle,¡± ¡°Throne,¡± and ¡°Store¡± burst forth from the sand, with total specifications estimated at 10m¡Á10m¡Á15m. All kinds of nodular jewels, golden skulls, and coins from various eras formed the base, At the top of the base was something akin to a miniature ancient castle, which could fully open at the front, somewhat similar to the ¡°sedan¡± in Yi Chen¡¯s homeland when he was alive, Although the miniature ancient castle had not yet opened, One could imagine a treasury filled with peculiar treasures and smell a scent of trade from the relief patterns on the walls and the structure of the latticed windows. Under the throne, were several people with their backs bent at 90 degrees, known as ¡°Back-Bearing People,¡± their skin completely merged with the base, not knowing how many years they had been carrying this special chair. One of the Back-Bearing People was clutching the Dead Egg mentioned earlier. Buzz! Although this group of seemingly slowly moving Back-Bearing People arrived in front of Yi Chen and Moon Scar in an instant, as if the time it took to move had been ¡°peeled off.¡± Just as the two were thinking of stepping back to create some distance, ¡ìWait a minute¡ì A voice that penetrated their skulls and struck directly at their brains forcibly stopped their thoughts of retreating. Instinctively, they felt that if they chose to retreat here, they might be killed outright. Even Moon Scar, as an Open Source Patient, felt the same. ¡ìI never expected to encounter such an interesting item as the ¡®Lifeless Egg¡¯ on the surface, only a rare bird with perfect human traits and itself possessing a certain ¡®fertility¡¯ attribute. Temporarily bringing the concept of ¡®fertility¡¯ from the outside has made it possible to acquire such a fine item at the first egg production. It cannot be mass-produced, only fortuitously obtained. Would you be willing to sell it to me, honorable foreign guests?¡ì As soon as these words were spoken, The ancient castle expanded horizontally from left and right, directly transforming into a shop adorned with various rare treasures. A man bloated with endless treasures and corpulent flesh was reclining among the treasures, his eyelids stacked with layers of fat, beneath which golden pupils were fixated on the two before him. Dressed in a patchwork style outfit that incorporated elements from various eras and civilizations, Clearly, he was the master of this special shop. As the shop expanded, his compressed body also spread out, reaching a width of nearly twenty meters and a height of ten meters. As he opened his mouth to speak, Teeth crafted from old metals and rare jewels were revealed, with his two prominent golden front teeth standing out the most, One engraved with ¡°Du,¡± and the other with ¡°ke,¡± together forming the word ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°I am delighted to meet here an individual with a novel illness and a special human who does not belong to either world. To trade with young people like you justifies the considerable manpower I spent to come to the surface.¡± This speech caused Yi Chen¡¯s eyes to widen, as it seemed the shop owner had immediately recognized that he was from another world. Moon Trace Lorrian sensed an oppressive pathogenic aura from the corpulent merchant. ¡°You may simply call me Duke, and come trade with me,¡± As soon as these words were spoken, An epic grandeur of music simultaneously resounded in Yi Chen and Moon Trace Lorrian¡¯s ears. An elegant solo violin act initiated the performance, followed by bell sounds, choral singing, and string glissandos from high to low, seemingly drawing all outsiders into this ancient castle. As the music played, It was apparent that the shop owner was deliberately showcasing himself. A golden-framed Frame gradually emerged overhead, visible to outsiders, At the starting end of the Frame, the shop¡¯s sign made of gold material with various gems forming the text¡ª[Duke¡¯s Home]. The Frame was filled with a dazzling solution of gems and even had solid gems mixed within. Attached above the Frame were the corresponding title and name. ¡ìOld World Merchant¡ªDuke Garryson, The Old Merchant¡ì Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 172 Relic Chapter 173: Chapter 172 Relic Upon seeing such an oppressive gold Frame, Yi Chen immediately thought of what he had seen in the Abyss Laboratory deep within Green Lake, where his consciousness had been dragged¡ªthe ¡°Fish Origin.¡± An epic music prelude, accompanied by a unique yellow-golden Frame. If a being of such caliber wished for Yi Chen to die, it probably wouldn¡¯t need to lift a finger, just a mere thought could erase him. Even Moon Trace Lorrian, an Open Source patient, would instantly abandon the thought of fleeing at the sound of epic music in his mind, and could only comply with this Old World merchant who appeared suddenly. However, Duke Garrisen did not carry any hostility, but instead cast a benevolent gaze, He seemed to have come all the way from the deep Old World either for the appearance of an ¡®item,¡¯ or perhaps for the aura of a quality customer. There was no seizure of the item, but a very polite request to trade. ¡°What trade?¡± Following Yi Chen¡¯s inquiry, The Duke grew several strange little arms under his armpits and began to search for something in his ancient castle shop, eventually flipping out a special magnifying glass to observe the Dead Egg he was holding in his hands. ¡°Slightly flawed, but in decent condition, clearly biased towards a descent into ¡®Death.¡¯ For such a Dead Egg I¡¯m willing to offer five hundred points, and you can use the points earned from the sale to choose anything you like in my shop. Go to ????????????????????.co As long as you trade with me, a dedicated ¡®Accountant¡¯ will record your points. As long as you can meet me on this side, you can trade and buy at any time. Of course, if you choose to believe in me, you will also receive a twenty percent discount.¡± ¡°May I take a look at the products and specific prices in your store first?¡± ¡°Some of the ¡®things¡¯ I sell should not be known, or they could bring about trouble. Just tell me what kind of thing you need directly, and I will try to find products that meet your requirements.¡± ¡°Do you have any Relics for sale?¡± ¡°Oh, these things are all over the place in my shop, but I¡¯m not sure what kind of Relics you are looking for.¡± ¡°Do you have any Relics associated with the Three Attributes of Physique, Intelligence, and Sensing?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ However, Relics associated with Three Attributes are quite rare and also quite valuable. Let me have a look.¡± G¨¡j¨© g¨¡j¨©~ The Duke grew even more slender arms under his armpits and began to search in detail within his ancient castle shop, 1, 2, 3 A total of three suitable Relics were taken out, each sealed within a closed container. Being quite valuable, it was not possible to directly view the form of the Relics, but one could identify the basic information through the Ancient Living Text embedded on the containers. ¢Ù ¡°Touring Chrysalis¡± [Introduction]: Very few Parasites are able to complete a ¡°World Tour¡± in the Old World without relying on any source of disease replenishment. When the touring ends, they will become chrysalises, and after a long state of chrysalis, they will achieve a leap in disease stage and be accepted by the hidden Source Plague forces. Intact forms, chrysalis shells with less than 20% damage are very rare, and can be used a second time. [Category]: Relic (Associated with an individual¡¯s Three Attributes) [Bias]: Sensing > Intelligence > Physique [Trait]: ¡°Traveler¡¯s Thought¡± [Price]: 1500 Trading Points ¢Ú ¡°Meat Storage Box¡± [Introduction]: Originating from the Source Epidemic Area ¨C Rotten Meat Ruins, used to handle the garbage abyss of the lowest-grade waste meat. The containers that held the rubbish meat would, over the years, awaken to Self-awareness, and among them, only a very few could crawl out of the garbage abyss to gain recognition. At that time, they would take off their Meat Storage Boxes and become a member of the Rotten Meat Ruins with a brand-new body. [Category]: Relic (Associated with an individual¡¯s Three Attributes) [Bias]: Physique > Sensing > Intelligence [Trait]: ¡°Proof of Uselessness¡± [Price]: 1300 Trading Points ¢Ú ?? [Introduction]: ?? [Category]: Relic (Associated individual¡¯s triple attribute) [Bias]: Intelligence > Physique > Sensing [Trait]: ?? [Price]: 2000 trading points After completing the basic information review of the three relics, Yi Chen was stunned himself. In the perception of the gentleman¡¯s group of Zion City, it was basically impossible to obtain a three-attribute relic, yet in this Duke¡¯s shop, three matching relics were easily found. And they were all attributes that aligned, all three of them. But the price was indeed steep¡ªusing only the trading points obtained from the Dead Egg, he simply couldn¡¯t afford them. ¡°Duke, can¡¯t the information for the last relic be disclosed in detail?¡± The Duke¡¯s mouth, capable of swallowing several living people at once, broke into a smile: ¡°The reason for the information being sealed is simple, because this item was acquired through unconventional means. If everyone could inspect it, a leak would cause me some trouble. ¡°Only a truly interested customer who pays a deposit and signs a confidentiality agreement can view the detailed information.¡± ¡°How much is the deposit for this item?¡± ¡°500¡­ just as expensive as the Dead Egg you sold to me.¡± With the opportunity right in front of him, Yi Chen did not want to waste it, and further inquired: ¡°Is there any way to get trading points quickly?¡± A golden glow flashed in the Duke¡¯s eyes as He patiently explained, ¡°The rules here are simple; if you want to get trading points, you sell me something valuable. But in my opinion, you probably don¡¯t have any extra valuable goods on you anymore. However, there are still two methods here for quickly obtaining points to purchase the goods you desire and urgently need right now. 1.[Borrowing], this requires you to first perform a worship ritual and sign a covenant. I am different from those guys. They care about singularity; I don¡¯t mind¡­ Although you have a direct association with ¡®Source Epidemic Area ¨C Profound Skin Market¡¯, I don¡¯t mind you worshipping me at the same time. Once you sign the covenant, a ¡®Transaction Seal¡¯ will be branded upon you. All goods will be at a 20% discount, and you can mortgage yourselves to borrow, needing to repay points and corresponding interest periodically. If the contract is breached, you will become my ¡®Accountant¡¯ to pay off the debt. Even if you keep hiding in another world, I have ways to let debt collectors bring you here. 2.[Gambling], using the points you currently have or borrowing points to gamble with me. If you can win the game, you will receive points according to the corresponding multiplier.¡± ¡°For gambling, do we need to sign a covenant?¡± Facing Yi Chen¡¯s question, The Duke, not in a hurry to answer, drew a long spear-like rare weapon from his side, using it as a toothpick to dig around in his mouth¡­ hissing, directly extracting something resembling a sand worm, then using His big gold tooth to behead, chew, and swallow it. ¡°For mere gambling, you don¡¯t need to worship me. ¡°However, I still suggest you sign a covenant with me¡­ I dare say, in this near-death world, aside from those equal in status to me, no creature does not wish to bear my transaction mark. ¡°I never constrain any of my worshippers; they are all premium customers I have selectively handpicked. ¡°Enjoying the discount while being able to roughly sense the location of the shop, enables more convenient future trades. ¡°My appearance isn¡¯t solely because of this Dead Egg; it¡¯s because I see potential in the two of you.¡± At that moment, Moon Trace Lorrian stepped forward, negotiating with the Duke for the first time, ¡°No constraints at all?¡± ¡°Correct¡­ only those who fail to repay their debts need to bear the consequences of their insincerity.¡± Lorrian¡¯s ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯ could discern the Duke¡¯s ¡®Absolute Neutrality¡¯. If He truly wanted to compel them, He could have easily suppressed them directly, without the need for so many words. At this point, Yi Chen had also made a decision. After a quick exchange of information between Yi Chen¡¯s black pupils and Lorrian¡¯s new moon eyes, they decided to sign a contract with the Duke. Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 173 Gambling Chapter 174: Chapter 173 Gambling ¡°What kind of ritual of devotion is needed?¡± When Yi Chen asked this question, he indirectly expressed his attitude. The Duke swayed his index finger, which was about the size of a normal person¡¯s thigh, explaining: ¡°I¡¯m just mentioning it casually; after all, those other beings always perform some ritual before signing a pledge. There must have been a corresponding ritual when you accepted that skin, right?¡± At the mention by the Duke, Yi Chen immediately recalled the ritual at the Divine Skin Mansion. It was precisely by using ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡± as a medium, through the ritual, to establish a connection with the system of the Old World, to select the appropriate letter, and to confirm the profession. ¡°Yes, I have been to the old halls through ¡®Gentleman¡¯s Skin¡¯.¡± ¡°Gentleman¡¯s Skin? Haha~ Skin is just skin, yet you choose such a name that is close to humans. However, the mysterious Skin Market indeed has aspects worth learning from, as they create skin that can directly transfer to your human world through a certain ¡®channel¡¯, fitting well with human species. It hardly brings any adverse effects while connecting to the Old World, as long as the ¡®skin content¡¯ isn¡¯t too high and exceeds the individual¡¯s control limit, you humans can still fully maintain your self. As for me, no need for any complicated rituals, just get ready and take off your clothes; I¡¯ll directly brand you¡­ It won¡¯t hurt and won¡¯t leave marks, the ¡®Transaction Seal¡¯ exists only between your souls.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Alright.¡± Following the Duke¡¯s request, Yi Chen and Lorrian successively removed their shirts, and the Duke naturally noticed Yi Chen¡¯s black-furred right side temporarily constructed by the small grape. ¡°Does your little friend also need a branding?¡± Just as Yi Chen was asking the small grape for its opinion, the black fur on his back immediately opened its mouth and looked earnestly. ¡°Please, Duke.¡± When the small grape spoke these words, its whole body of black hair pointed toward the Duke, as if it would follow the Duke immediately if it were not for its master, Yi Chen. ¡°Turn your back to me.¡± Hisss~ A wisp of blue smoke rose from the back. There was no anticipated physical pain from branding, but rather a light touch on the soul level. A unique scale imprint was placed on the soul. In that instant, both Yi Chen and Moon Scar were able to sense a vague connection with the Old World merchant, Duke Garrianson, just as he had said, this trade oath had no formal constraint. However, the Duke¡¯s expression was somewhat odd, with the fat on his face bunching together, then revealing a more excited expression, his whole face twitching along. It seemed he sensed something novel from the branding process, something he had never experienced before. ¡°Well, now you are my ¡®premium clients,¡¯ let¡¯s continue our trade, shall we?¡± Yi Chen promptly inquired further, ¡°Duke, I¡¯d like to ask about [Gambling] first? If I want to gamble, what exactly would the process be like?¡± ¡°Quite simple, first you need to determine the gambling [Odds], I will create a gambling game temporarily according to those odds and set the rules, as long as you can win the game in line with the rules, or meet the game¡¯s preset requirements, you win the bet. Otherwise, you¡¯ll lose all the points you bet.¡± ¡°What kind of games?¡± The Duke placed his index finger to his mouth: ¡°The details of the gambling content should be kept secret beforehand. Even if you fix the odds, I create randomly based on the corresponding difficulty of those odds. It might be a simple game of high-low, or a complex maze game, or even a more comprehensive role-playing game¡­ Anyway, you¡¯ll only find out once you enter the bet. Regardless, the difficulty is based on the gambling odds, which, according to humans, should be called ¡®fair¡¯. Even at odds of 1:99, there is still a possibility of winning. Would you like to play?¡± As Yi Chen contemplated, Moon Scar suddenly raised his hand, signaling, ¡°I¡¯d like to look at products related to [Moon] priced between 500-1500.¡± Following his request, the Duke swiftly produced four products. The first item is a Moonlight Robe for women, which enhances the wearer¡¯s floating ability, priced at 700 points. The second is a jewel ring set with a Moon Stone, which provides an amplification of moon attributes, priced at 1500 points. The third is a special Moon Wand, a relic from an ancient battlefield, once the exclusive weapon of a sorcerer suffering from Stardust illness¡­ Unfortunately, the tip of the wand was severely damaged during battle; its core structure was affected and could no longer be activated, and it could only serve as an accessory, priced at 1000 points. The fourth item is a pair of gloves brimming with moonlight, which can increase spell-casting speed and double the effects of moonlight and starry sky spells. However, aside from the third item that somewhat interested Moon Scar, the rest did not catch his eye. ¡°Do you have the repair materials for this wand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ But even if you find the best wand maker of the Old World, the repair success rate won¡¯t exceed 30%, and the repair materials alone would need at least 2000 points. Personally, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As the Duke was gathering up these items, perhaps due to his large size, he accidentally knocked open a nearby collection cabinet while picking up the wand. At that instant, Lorrian suddenly experienced a moment of moonlight resonance, a flash of moonlight passed through his eyes, and he pointed to the affected collection cabinet. ¡°Is there something related to the moon inside there?¡± ¡°This one? Let me check¡­¡± Under the Duke¡¯s armpit, a small hand quickly reached into the cabinet, and after some searching, it seemed to find something. Creak creak~ More arms emerged from under his armpits, eventually pulling out a weapon case made from a special stone. Ink-colored stone, the surface even showed flowing ink, creating a special sealing effect; even the moonlight cast by Moon Scar could not penetrate it. The homologous induction from the moon was coming from inside the case. ¡°You have a good eye¡­ This is one of the treasures of the store, the information must be completely confidential, I can only show you its name.¡± As the Duke flipped the weapon case over, the name engraved on the bottom was revealed: [Moonlight Greatsword] ¡°I put a lot of effort and even got slightly injured to acquire this item¡­ If its existence leaks, there will be trouble knocking on the door.¡± ¡°How many points do you need.¡± ¡°Original price 15000 points, with a discount, 12000 points. I suggest you consider it later, don¡¯t think you can get so many points from me all at once today.¡± This very moment felt confusing since it began. Lorrian, who reached the Old World with difficulty yet still felt disappointed, seemed to have found a lost direction in life, a whole new path to move forward, as his New Moon pupils became dazzling. Moon Scar took a step back and with a particularly elegant gentlemanly gesture, asked Yi Chen to step forward, ¡°William, continue your trade with the Duke.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Yi Chen had made up his mind, ¡°I need the third item under information sealing, a [Relic] which should be priced at 1600 points after discount, sell the Dead Egg for 500 points; can we directly arrange a gambling game based on their ratio?¡± ¡°Possible, though gambling over three times the rate often proves difficult; are you sure you want to proceed with the [gambling]? Once confirmed, I will begin creating the game, and all sorts of rules and systems will immediately be established. Afterwards, you cannot change your mind.¡± Yi Chen had resolved, Encountering the Duke on the surface of the Old World might only happen once in his lifetime. Meeting him again would necessarily require venturing into the perilous deeps of the Old World, and even then, only possibly encountering him. Searching for a Three Attribute Relic on the surface was nearly impossible, or else Zion would have set a precedent already. As Teacher Zede said, if there¡¯s no precedent, then become the first¡­ To achieve this, one must take on the associated risks. This opportunity was right before him, and he absolutely had to seize it. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Come a bit closer, the gambling game will to some extent be tailored around you.¡± As Yi Chen stepped closer, The Duke¡¯s plump palm gently rested on his head, the flabby layers of fat adhering to his scalp, burrowing in along the hair follicles. Accessing the memory components in his brain, a unique gambling game was slowly establishing¡­ Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 174 Opening Chapter 175: Chapter 174 Opening The time it took to craft the gambling event was much longer than anticipated, Even a few drops of golden sweat trickled from the Duke¡¯s forehead, falling onto the ancient castle floor and turning into real gold, which were then collected by several hidden hands. After more than an hour had passed, the Duke finally reopened his eyes. Exhausted, he exhaled a breath laced with gem dust, yet his plump cheeks formed a satisfied, even excited, smile. ¡°A very interesting memory, it¡¯s rare for one to consume so much of my energy in constructing a [Gambling Event]. This time the scale of the event is relatively ¡®medium to large,¡¯ which may take a longer time. However, you can rest assured, during the gambling your physical body will not suffer any erosion from the Old World. This gambling event is a ¡®role-playing¡¯ mode, where you need to clarify your position within the game and meet the corresponding requirements. The gambling rules will be given to you after you enter the [Gambling Event]; you may also need to actively search for relevant rules and requirements, as there is a high degree of freedom. If you¡¯re ready, enter from here.¡± The Duke stroked his huge belly, and then pinched the layers of fat around his abdomen, parting them up and down. What appeared was not a belly button, but a gilded circular passageway, the entrance to the gambling event. Just as Yi Chen was about to take a deep breath and enter, Lorrian¡¯s voice came from behind: ¡°Can you add one more for me?¡± Yi Chen did not immediately respond, as he had reservations. Go to ????????????????????.co However, the Duke was interested in Moon Scar¡¯s participation and actively explained: ¡°If you participate as a team, I will adjust the difficulty accordingly, and not simply double the difficulty. Moreover, for medium to large role-playing gambling events like this, I personally recommend forming a team for a better experience and more ways to win. Of course, whether you can participate or not depends on the gambler¡¯s opinion.¡± Yi Chen turned his head and looked into Lorrian¡¯s eyes, ¡°Are you sure you want to come?¡± There were several concerns here, as the gambling event involved a crucial Relic, and there was only one opportunity. If Lorrian was just in it for fun, the probability of losing would skyrocket. Lorrian spread his hands, ¡°Anyway, I need to wait for you to return to the Original World, and waiting outside is the same as waiting, so I might as well go in and join you for fun. I know what you¡¯re worried about, William, you¡¯re the [Other Half] I value the most, and your effective growth is very important. I will definitely give it my all to help you win this gambling event.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± The two stepped onto the Duke¡¯s throne palanquin, climbed onto his soft and musty flesh, and entered through the passageway at the belly button position. The originally horizontal passage gradually sloped until it was completely vertical. The two accelerated under the abrade of the flesh tunnel, with various glints of gold and jewels flashing past their eyes, until their consciousness was completely lost in the process¡­ Pop! The humanoid chess piece carrying a briefcase and the one in patient¡¯s attire landed on a gambling table made of blood, flesh, skin, and hair, In front of the pieces were five chips, symbolizing their betting points. In reality, Such a small amount of gambling hardly matched the scale of the event; just the energy consumed to construct the venue already exceeded 500 points. Ordinarily, a 500-point gamble would suffice for a simple game of high-low or a riddle. However, The construction of large-scale scenes, ¡®full import¡¯ of physical body and consciousness, and detailed rules design, all stemmed from the Duke¡¯s personal interest. It was because, while branding Yi Chen, He inadvertently glimpsed memories that did not belong to either world. He wanted to use this intriguing memory to construct a completely realistic and amusing gambling event and also to test if the customer He valued truly had potential, whether he was worth deeper trades for valuable items. A golden palm representing the Duke¡¯s internal image, symbolizing the [Banker], landed on the gambling table. Streams of energy representing ¡®value,¡¯ flowed into the table in the form of gold, As the golden liquid poured in, architectures, streets, and world environments drawn from Yi Chen¡¯s memory rapidly took shape on the surface of the table, including the temporary rules for the current event. ¡°` As a golden curtain enclosed the gambling table, the special game officially began. Perhaps in high spirits today, the Duke projected his voice, radiating it toward the ¡°backers¡± beneath the platform, ¡°Anyone wish to gamble with borrowed money? With a bit of luck, you might clear all your debts in one go.¡± However, the Duke¡¯s voice received no response, not because the backers had lost their self-awareness, but because they deeply rejected gambling and borrowing from within their hearts. Once they had all been esteemed ¡®guests¡¯ favored by the Duke, yet during the trade, their greed was unwittingly hooked, and the gates of restraint were completely lifted. By the time they came to their senses, they had already fallen into the Golden Abyss, with the golden coins engraved with skulls burying them alive, leaving them unable to extract themselves. They were quite clear that if they behaved and backed silently, they might still have a chance to regain their freedom. If they touched gambling and borrowing related to greed, they would never find peace again. ¡°How boring.¡± The Duke pulled out a large box of fresh snacks and cradled it in his arms, adjusted his body position, and began to enjoy this unique gambling event. ¡­ Buzz! As his thoughts diverged, his physical form seemed to have completely detached in the process and then reloaded. Regaining consciousness, what came into view was a completely unfamiliar scene. A children¡¯s style bedroom, an airplane-shaped light fixture hanging from the ceiling, Yi Chen quickly sat up, immediately scanning his surroundings, a brown wooden bedside table displayed a train-shaped alarm clock and various soldier toys, next to the window, the desk was covered with several children¡¯s books, a black and white wool carpet spread across the room, with all sorts of toys neatly arranged in a corner. Clean, comfortable, and quite neat, with not a single flaw to be seen, each item in the room was placed with extreme orderliness, some might say too neat. Once he assured there was no danger in the room, his gaze slowly turned to himself. Tender and short arms left Yi Chen momentarily stunned, ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± The length of the arms was only half of their original size, and the body had likewise shrunk¡­ to be precise, it was an age reduction. Yi Chen estimated he was now around eight years old. Just as he was about to further test if his personal abilities were intact, Ding-ding! The train alarm clock on the bedside table suddenly rang¡ªYi Chen instinctively reached out to turn it off, completing the action in less than two seconds. When he looked up again, the bedroom door had surprisingly opened, and two adults stood at the doorway, faces wearing tender smiles. One was a middle-aged man in a white shirt, trousers, and carrying a briefcase, with thinning hair and a protruding belly, holding a cup of steaming coffee. The other was a woman in black professional attire, with golden curly hair. Though wrinkles and prominent freckles marked her face, her fine features still conveyed her beauty. At their feet sat an obedient Samoyed, smiling at Yi Chen, its little master. ¡°Up on time, such a good child! Your dad and I are about to leave for work, breakfast is already prepared for you. Be sure to stay at home today and absolutely do not go outside, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the wooden door slowly closed, the gentle mother, the father savoring his coffee, and the dog squatting on the floor, none shifted their gaze, all watched Yi Chen on the bed from beginning to end. ¡°` Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 175: Home and Mail Chapter 176: Chapter 175: Home and Mail The style, decor, and furniture in the room were clearly from Yi Chen¡¯s original world. Combining this with the Duke¡¯s words made the conclusion obvious. ¡°A real gamble created by the Duke based on the memories of my pre-death world stored in my brain?¡± Yi Chen didn¡¯t hurry to get out of bed, instead he checked his physical condition first. ¡°Little Grape!¡± As his consciousness called out, a flesh-colored tiny mouth opened on the back of his hand and spat out a tender pupil. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why do I feel as weak as an egg? My vision has even become blurry¡­ I¡¯m even struggling to see the detailed patterns on the screw by the window.¡± ¡°It must be the Duke restricting and weakening us, I¡¯m in the same condition.¡± Yi Chen could clearly feel the weakening of his body and abilities, as even the plants inside him had ¡®youthfulized¡¯¡ªtheir quantity, toughness, and hardness all significantly reduced. Swish~ A green shoot burst forth from the palm of his hand, unable to even pierce through an ordinary book, merely poking a small hole in it. The only aspect less affected was the ¡°Physical¡± His body, trained by Teacher Zede, still possessed ¡®Pain Adaptation¡¯ and strong ¡®Impact Resistance¡¯; despite only being eight years old, his abdomen still had well-defined abs and the muscles across his body were undiminished. With his physique, beating up an adult was still easily manageable. Go to ????????????????????.co There was another important issue¡ª ¡°Equipment.¡± Yi Chen immediately got out of bed and searched the bedroom. He soon found a black children¡¯s suitcase under the bed. The suitcase contained three crucial items: a superbly crafted silver-plated hand axe, a shortened shotgun for removing illness (still loaded with corpses), and a black suit in elementary school style. ¡°All the equipment is here, but it¡¯s all been weakened¡­ or perhaps the Duke created weakened versions of them based on their traits for me to use in this gamble. Even this young body of mine might have been temporarily crafted by the Duke based on the physical traits of my real body.¡± The camera pulls back to reality, where within the Duke¡¯s greasy body cavity, Yi Chen¡¯s true body is enveloped in a flesh membrane filled with white fatty fluid, with nerves connected all over. As Yi Chen figured this out, his true body exhaled a few bubbles, which did not affect the ongoing gamble. ¡­ He stood in front of a large oval mirror by the wall. Yi Chen put on the well-fitted student suit, with both the axe and the gun hidden at his waist under the suit, deftly tying a centered bun with his hair. Though only eight years old, this outfit made him look much more mature; he wouldn¡¯t be directly kicked out of an internet caf¨¦. ¡°Next, I need to figure out the situation clearly and try to meet up with Moon Scar¡­ That guy, even if suppressed, is definitely stronger than me.¡± Pushing open the bedroom door led him to the Second Floor foyer; opposite were his parents¡¯ room and stairs leading to the first floor. The cleanliness was the same as the bedroom, This two-story house was incredibly tidy, flawless to the point where even barefoot one wouldn¡¯t pick up any dust, He had just stepped down to the first floor. The Samoyed that had appeared outside the bedroom door with his ¡®parents¡¯ immediately came up to greet Yi Chen, its little master, wagging its tail continuously at a distance of one meter. A metal tag hanging on the dog¡¯s neck was engraved with the name¡ª ¡°Xue Rui.¡± However, even when Yi Chen directly called its name, Xue Rui just wagged its tail faster, always maintaining a distance of one meter. Bark bark~ Xue Rui barked a few times, leading Yi Chen to the dining room. Milk with cornflakes and fried eggs with ham were served on the dining table, a lavish breakfast prepared by his parents, with the eggs even specially shaped into hearts. After briefly verifying there was nothing wrong with the food, Yi Chen still chose to eat. Xue Rui sat obediently beside, its eyes always watching its little master, After breakfast, Yi Chen moved to the window in the living room to observe the outside situation, A quiet and comfortable tree-lined street, terrace houses evenly spaced on both sides of the street, external decorations completely uniform, even feeling like they were ¡®copy-pasted¡¯; leaning against the window, he couldn¡¯t even see the end of the terrace houses. ¡°I haven¡¯t figured out the real intention of the gamble yet, nor have I obtained any directional clues¡­ I¡¯ll start by thoroughly searching my ¡®home¡¯.¡± As Yi Chen searched the first floor, no matter where he went, Xue Rui always followed behind. Only when stepping onto the staircase to the second floor did Xue Rui not follow, or rather, there was no need to follow. This feeling, almost like being under surveillance, reminded Yi Chen of his ¡®parents¡¯ words. ¡°¡®My parents¡¯ specifically instructed me to stay home and not go out when they left; could this dog¡¯s role be to ensure I don¡¯t leave¡­ What would happen if I forcibly left home?¡± With this speculation, he returned to his bedroom. Click clack~ Tender shoots of plants pried through the window crack, unlocking the latch outside. Just as Yi Chen tried to poke his head out, showing a tendency to jump through the window. On the front lawn below, Xue Rui had arrived early, looking up at the small master in the window. ¡°As expected¡­¡± Once he was sure he was under surveillance, Yi Chen slowly withdrew his head. Standing by the window, he used the visual enhancement provided by Little Grape to observe the street closely, capturing more information. An observation revealed that almost every building was ¡®imprisoning¡¯ a child, like Yi Chen, they could only stand by the window to see the street, unable to go outside. They all had a pet watching over them, mainly cats and dogs. Not long after, a ¡°postman¡± riding a black bicycle appeared in the empty street. Though he was a postman, he wore a gentleman¡¯s suit and a top hat. As he passed each house, he accurately tossed the letters into the standing mailbox at the front yard entrance. The postman even deliberately tilted his head, casting a special glance at each child, as if signaling the important trait of the letters. The same happened when he passed Yi Chen¡¯s house. ¡°This counts as a ¡®clear indication.¡¯ I need to figure out how to get the mail outside. The only problem now is this dog. My current equipment and abilities should allow me to kill it. But if the pet dies, it might trigger a ¡®chain reaction.¡¯ Without more information about the gamble, it¡¯s better not to cause too much commotion.¡± Yi Chen first left the bedroom, trying to go to his parents¡¯ room on the second floor. Click click~ Completely locked. Impossible to open even with lock picking. Even the door gaps were blocked tightly with something, and the plants couldn¡¯t penetrate. Without a clear understanding of the gambling information, Yi Chen didn¡¯t plan on breaking down the door forcefully. Back on the first floor, Xue Rui was still sitting obediently beside the staircase, wagging its tail continuously. Yi Chen pretended everything was fine and walked towards the kitchen, opening the spacious lower cabinet. Utilizing the fact that the dog always maintained a distance from him, he managed to position his body just right to trap Xue Rui inside the cabinet. Slam! He kicked the cabinet door~ and then quickly dragged a chair over to jam it shut. The moment he completed the action, Yi Chen¡¯s calves were already tense, sprinting full speed towards the front door on the first floor! Walking quickly along the stone path of the front yard, he successfully reached the stand-alone mailbox at the front gate. Crack! As he forced open the rusted door of the mailbox, a pile of letters spilled out. There were hundreds of identical letters stuffed inside, and Yi Chen randomly grabbed a handful to stuff into his pocket. As he turned around to head back into the house, the obedient Xue Rui was already squatting at the door, but its body looked strange, as if something was wriggling inside it. The children from the nearby houses all gathered at their windows, casting sympathetic or fearful glances, some even covered their eyes with their hands, peeking through the gaps between their fingers, as if they were about to witness a very terrifying scene. Whoosh! Xue Rui¡¯s tilting head split open from the middle, and as the dog¡¯s head completely split¡­ Whoosh! A bright red, skinless arm stretched out from its neck. Following that came another hand, and then a body. A blood-drenched, skinless female upper body wholly emerged, black hair covering its horrifying skinless features, canine teeth from the dog¡¯s head scattered around her arms. Pitch-black pupils stared intently at this disobedient ¡®master¡¯ Whoosh! The spine connecting the human body and dog¡¯s body suddenly elongated, making the creature¡¯s total length reach four meters. The dog¡¯s body was responsible for stability and rapid movement, while the elongated spine supported the woman¡¯s body outside, tasked with killing and devouring, Yi Chen wasn¡¯t frightened by the scene before him, but when he saw the ¡®true form¡¯ of ¡®Xue Rui,¡¯ he was momentarily stunned. Some dark memories, locked deep in his mind, began to surface.